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Arctic wildfires: What's caused huge swathes of flames to spread? | Arctic wildfires: What's caused huge swathes of flames to spread? |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Wildfires are ravaging the Arctic, with areas of northern Siberia, northern Scandinavia, Alaska and Greenland engulfed in flames. | |
Lightning frequently triggers fires in the region but this year they have been worsened by summer temperatures that are higher than average because of climate change. | Lightning frequently triggers fires in the region but this year they have been worsened by summer temperatures that are higher than average because of climate change. |
Plumes of smoke from the fires can be seen from space. | Plumes of smoke from the fires can be seen from space. |
Mark Parrington, a wildfires expert at the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (Cams), described them as "unprecedented". | Mark Parrington, a wildfires expert at the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (Cams), described them as "unprecedented". |
How bad is it? | How bad is it? |
There are hundreds of fires covering mostly uninhabited regions across eastern Russia, northern Scandinavia, Greenland and Alaska. | There are hundreds of fires covering mostly uninhabited regions across eastern Russia, northern Scandinavia, Greenland and Alaska. |
But smoke is affecting wider surrounding areas, engulfing some places completely. | But smoke is affecting wider surrounding areas, engulfing some places completely. |
Cities in eastern Russia have noted a significant decrease in air quality since the fires started. | Cities in eastern Russia have noted a significant decrease in air quality since the fires started. |
The smoke has reportedly reached Russia's Tyumen region in western Siberia, six time zones away from the fires on the east coast. | The smoke has reportedly reached Russia's Tyumen region in western Siberia, six time zones away from the fires on the east coast. |
In June, the fires released an estimated 50 megatonnes of carbon dioxide - the equivalent of Sweden's annual carbon output, according to Cams. | In June, the fires released an estimated 50 megatonnes of carbon dioxide - the equivalent of Sweden's annual carbon output, according to Cams. |
How unusual is this? | How unusual is this? |
Arctic fires are common between May and October and wildfires are a natural part of an ecosystem, offering some benefits for the environment, according to the Alaska Centers website. | Arctic fires are common between May and October and wildfires are a natural part of an ecosystem, offering some benefits for the environment, according to the Alaska Centers website. |
But the intensity of these fires, as well as the large area they have taken up, make these unusual. | But the intensity of these fires, as well as the large area they have taken up, make these unusual. |
"It is unusual to see fires of this scale and duration at such high latitudes in June," said Mr Parrington. | "It is unusual to see fires of this scale and duration at such high latitudes in June," said Mr Parrington. |
"But temperatures in the Arctic have been increasing at a much faster rate than the global average, and warmer conditions encourage fires to grow and persist once they have been ignited." | "But temperatures in the Arctic have been increasing at a much faster rate than the global average, and warmer conditions encourage fires to grow and persist once they have been ignited." |
Extremely dry ground and hotter than average temperatures, combined with heat lightning and strong winds, have caused the fires to spread aggressively. | Extremely dry ground and hotter than average temperatures, combined with heat lightning and strong winds, have caused the fires to spread aggressively. |
The burning has been sustained by the forest ground, which consists of exposed, thawed, dried peat - a substance with high carbon content. | The burning has been sustained by the forest ground, which consists of exposed, thawed, dried peat - a substance with high carbon content. |
Dangerous amplification | Dangerous amplification |
Global satellites are now tracking a swathe of new and ongoing wildfires within the Arctic Circle. The conditions were laid in June, the hottest June for the planet yet observed in the instrumented era. | Global satellites are now tracking a swathe of new and ongoing wildfires within the Arctic Circle. The conditions were laid in June, the hottest June for the planet yet observed in the instrumented era. |
The fires are releasing copious volumes of previously stored carbon dioxide and methane - carbon stocks that have in some cases been held in the ground for thousands of years. | The fires are releasing copious volumes of previously stored carbon dioxide and methane - carbon stocks that have in some cases been held in the ground for thousands of years. |
Scientists say what we're seeing is evidence of the kind of feedbacks we should expect in a warmer world, where increased concentrations of greenhouse gases drive more warming, which then begets the conditions that release yet more carbon into the atmosphere. | Scientists say what we're seeing is evidence of the kind of feedbacks we should expect in a warmer world, where increased concentrations of greenhouse gases drive more warming, which then begets the conditions that release yet more carbon into the atmosphere. |
A lot of the particulate matter from these fires will eventually come to settle on ice surfaces further north, darkening them and thus accelerating melting. | A lot of the particulate matter from these fires will eventually come to settle on ice surfaces further north, darkening them and thus accelerating melting. |
It's all part of a process of amplification. | It's all part of a process of amplification. |
What is being done to tackle the fires? | What is being done to tackle the fires? |
Russian authorities are not tackling the majority of the fires as they argue the cost would be bigger than the damage caused by the flames. | Russian authorities are not tackling the majority of the fires as they argue the cost would be bigger than the damage caused by the flames. |
"They do not threaten any settlements or the economy," the press service of the Krasnoyarsk Region forestry ministry told a Siberian news website. | "They do not threaten any settlements or the economy," the press service of the Krasnoyarsk Region forestry ministry told a Siberian news website. |
The hashtags #putouttheSiberianfires and #saveSiberianforests are currently trending on Twitter as Russians complain the government is not doing enough to tackle the crisis. | The hashtags #putouttheSiberianfires and #saveSiberianforests are currently trending on Twitter as Russians complain the government is not doing enough to tackle the crisis. |
Some argue that the Notre Dame fire in Paris received far more media attention than the forest fires. | Some argue that the Notre Dame fire in Paris received far more media attention than the forest fires. |
"Remember how far the news about the Notre Dame fire spread? Now is the time to do the same about the Siberian forest fires," said one tweet. | "Remember how far the news about the Notre Dame fire spread? Now is the time to do the same about the Siberian forest fires," said one tweet. |
Another said: "Let's not forget that nature is no less important than history. Numerous animals have lost their homes, and many of them are probably dead. Just thinking about this is painful." | Another said: "Let's not forget that nature is no less important than history. Numerous animals have lost their homes, and many of them are probably dead. Just thinking about this is painful." |
Alaska Centers agree that "fire-suppression efforts sometimes are more damaging than the wildfire". | Alaska Centers agree that "fire-suppression efforts sometimes are more damaging than the wildfire". |