Smoke trails cross the Arctic Circle
Forest fires along the Arctic Circle release exceptionally large amounts of Carbon Dioxide this summer. A warning sign, these fires pose a global risk, says an expert. The Arctic system is approaching a dangerous tipping point.
Thick smoke plumes stretch over the Arctic Circle and Eastern Russia. The European Earth Observation Programme Copernicus reports heavy forest fires in Siberia and North America. These fires were caused by unusually high temperatures and drought, leading to a "significant increase" in greenhouse gases in the first half of the month, explains the Atmospheric Monitoring Service of Copernicus (CAMS).
A cloud of ash and fine particles, according to CAMS satellite images, traveled approximately 3000 kilometers over parts of Mongolia, China, and Japan. In some areas, fine particle levels were multiple times above international limits. Russian forest fires produced as much CO2 by mid-July as in the months of June and July of the previous two years combined.
In the dense and hard-to-reach forests of the Arctic Circle, forest fires caused by lightning strikes are part of the natural cycle. So-called "zombie fires" can smolder under the earth's surface during winter months and then fully break out in the spring or summer. Due to global warming, the number and intensity of forest fires in the region have reportedly increased significantly in the past 20 years.
Forest fires in the Arctic have significant impacts on climate change, as they release large quantities of greenhouse gases and destroy forests that could otherwise store CO2. Professor Gail Whiteman of the University of Exeter has established a team of Arctic experts. On the Copernicus website, she states: "The increasing forest fires in Siberia are a clear warning sign that this vital system is approaching a dangerous tipping point." What happens in the Arctic does not stay there; forest fires pose a global risk.
According to Copernicus, black carbon or soot can settle on snow and ice after forest fires. The darkened Arctic then absorbs more solar energy, causing it to melt faster.
- The increased frequency and intensity of forest fires in the Arctic, as highlighted by Professor Gail Whiteman, are largely due to climate change and rising CO2 emissions.
- Education and awareness about the global consequences of Arctic forest fires, such as the release of forest fire-induced CO2 and the impact on climate change, are essential to mitigate these risks.
- Satellite data from Copernicus and CAMS provide critical information on Arctic forest fires, their impact on greenhouse gas emissions, and their transportation of fine particles across continents, underlining the need for international cooperation in tackling this global issue.
