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Canada’s wildfire emissions hit record high with 160m tonnes of carbon Canada’s wildfire carbon emissions hit record high in first six months of 2023
(about 2 hours later)
This year’s wildfire season is already worst on record in Canada, and smoke could reach Europe this week This year’s wildfire season is already worst on record as nearly 600m tonnes of carbon has been released since early May
Wildfires burning through large swathes of eastern and western Canada have released a record 160m tonnes of carbon, according to the EU’s Copernicus Atmospheric Monitoring Service, marking a record high since monitoring began in 2003. Wildfires raging across Canada, made more intense by global warming, have released more planet-warming carbon dioxide in the first six months of 2023 than in any full year on record, according to the EU’s Copernicus Atmospheric Monitoring Service.
This year’s wildfire season is the worst on record in Canada, with some 76,000sq km (29,000sq miles) burning across eastern and western Canada. That is already greater than the combined area burned in 2016, 2019, 2020 and 2022, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre.This year’s wildfire season is the worst on record in Canada, with some 76,000sq km (29,000sq miles) burning across eastern and western Canada. That is already greater than the combined area burned in 2016, 2019, 2020 and 2022, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre.
Hundreds of forest fires since early May have generated nearly 600m tonnes of CO2, equivalent to 88% of the country’s total greenhouse gas emissions from all sources in 2021, the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) reported.
More than half of that carbon pollution went up in smoke in June alone.
“The emissions from these wildfires are now the largest annual emissions for Canada in the 21 years of our dataset,” CAMS said in a statement.
Canada’s wildfire season typically peaks in late July or August, with emissions continuing to climb throughout the summer.Canada’s wildfire season typically peaks in late July or August, with emissions continuing to climb throughout the summer.
As of 26 June, the country’s annual emissions from the fires are now the largest since satellite monitoring began in 2003, surpassing 2014 at 140m tonnes. As of Tuesday, firefighters were battling 494 blazes throughout the country, more than half of them classified as out-of-control, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre.
“The difference is eastern Canada fires driving this growth in the emissions more than just western Canada,” said Copernicus senior scientist Mark Parrington. Emissions from just Alberta and British Columbia, he said, are far from setting any record.
Scientists are especially concerned about what Canada’s fires are putting into the atmosphere – and the air we breathe.Scientists are especially concerned about what Canada’s fires are putting into the atmosphere – and the air we breathe.
The carbon they have released is roughly equivalent to Indonesia’s annual carbon dioxide emissions from the burning of fossil fuels.The carbon they have released is roughly equivalent to Indonesia’s annual carbon dioxide emissions from the burning of fossil fuels.
Forests act as a critical sink for planet-warming carbon. It is estimated that Canada’s northern boreal forest stores more than 200bn tonnes of carbon equivalent to several decades worth of global carbon emissions. But when forests burn, they release some of that carbon into the atmosphere. This speeds up global warming and creates a dangerous feedback loop by creating the conditions where forests are more likely to burn.Forests act as a critical sink for planet-warming carbon. It is estimated that Canada’s northern boreal forest stores more than 200bn tonnes of carbon equivalent to several decades worth of global carbon emissions. But when forests burn, they release some of that carbon into the atmosphere. This speeds up global warming and creates a dangerous feedback loop by creating the conditions where forests are more likely to burn.
Smoke from the Canadian wildfires blanketed several major urban centres in June, including New York City and Toronto, tingeing skies an eerie orange.Smoke from the Canadian wildfires blanketed several major urban centres in June, including New York City and Toronto, tingeing skies an eerie orange.
Public health authorities issued air quality alerts, urging residents to stay inside. Wildfire smoke is linked to higher rates of heart attacks, strokes and more visits to emergency rooms for respiratory conditions.Public health authorities issued air quality alerts, urging residents to stay inside. Wildfire smoke is linked to higher rates of heart attacks, strokes and more visits to emergency rooms for respiratory conditions.
Now, the plume has crossed the North Atlantic. Worsening fires in Quebec and Ontario will probably make for hazy skies and deep orange sunsets in Europe this week, Parrington said. However, because the smoke is predicted to stay higher in the atmosphere, it is unlikely surface air quality will be affected.Now, the plume has crossed the North Atlantic. Worsening fires in Quebec and Ontario will probably make for hazy skies and deep orange sunsets in Europe this week, Parrington said. However, because the smoke is predicted to stay higher in the atmosphere, it is unlikely surface air quality will be affected.
With much of Canada still experiencing unusually warm and dry conditions, “there’s still no end in sight”, Parrington said.With much of Canada still experiencing unusually warm and dry conditions, “there’s still no end in sight”, Parrington said.