By I. Hansana, Jadetimes News
The northern hemisphere has experienced numerous intense wildfires in the first half of summer, dispersing significant amounts of smoke across Eurasia and North America. Research from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) indicates that large scale and severe wildfires have been occurring since late spring, particularly in Canada, Alaska, and eastern Russia.
These wildfires are typically triggered by prolonged hot and dry conditions in areas with high vegetation, leading to increased carbon and smoke emissions. The smoke has extended much farther north this year, even reaching across the Arctic Ocean to the high Arctic. Russian wildfire emissions in June and July surpassed those of the previous two years, with fires in the Amur Oblast region releasing an estimated 17.2 megatonnes of carbon the highest in 22 years.
Canada has also recorded some of its highest emission totals, with British Columbia and Alberta emitting 11.1 megatonnes and 13.2 megatonnes of carbon, respectively, over June and July. Mark Parrington, a senior scientist at CAMS, noted: “We have been closely monitoring boreal fires at CAMS for several years and observed particularly extreme wildfire emissions and atmospheric impacts, especially in Canada, eastern Russia, and the Arctic.”
The increase in wildfire activity significantly contributes to rising smoke emissions. Guillermo Rein, a professor of fire science at Imperial College London, commented: “The fire season has been expanding, starting earlier and lasting longer. It's not just the duration; the intensity of wildfires is also unprecedented.” Despite official Russian figures showing a 30% decrease in the number of wildfires this year compared to the previous year, the area burned has increased by 50%, underscoring the intensity of these fires.
The heightened smoke emissions have led to severe air pollution levels, causing various health complications. Dr. Marina Romanello, a research fellow at the UCL Institute for Global Health, explained: “Short term effects include respiratory issues, particularly for individuals with underlying conditions like asthma, heart disease, and lung disease. However, repeated exposure to high levels of wildfire related air pollution increases the risk of developing chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease and cancer.”
Concentrations of PM2.5, harmful particulates in the smoke, have been found to be several times higher than the World Health Organization's recommended 24 hour mean exposure threshold across a vast region, including eastern Mongolia, northeastern China, and northern Japan. Romanello added: “PM2.5 particles can penetrate deep into the lungs, pass the lung blood barrier, and enter the bloodstream, making these high levels of smoke emissions particularly concerning.”
While 2024's wildfire carbon emissions are high so far, they have not yet reached the catastrophic levels of 2023, when North America experienced record high PM2.5 levels. Rein remarked: “We don't expect this season to break any records, but it's a peculiar situation where prolonged severe conditions have made us perceive the current state as normal, despite it still being quite severe.”
