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Climate change in 2022 brings unprecedented fire activity in SW Europe, record wildfire carbon output globally

Paris, FranceEdited By: Moohita Kaur GargUpdated: Aug 14, 2022, 01:11 AM IST
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According to Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS), tens of thousands of hectares of forest in France, Portugal, and Spain have gone up in smoke this year. Photograph:(AFP)

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France has reached unprecedented levels of carbon pollution from wildfires in the last three months, reports AFP. As per the European Union's satellite monitoring programme, they are at their highest level since records began in 2003

2022 was a record year for wildfires in southwestern Europe. The year is also the fourth-highest in terms of wildfire carbon output globally.

Scientists have warned that heatwaves like the recent hot and dry stretch over Western Europe are becoming much more common as a result of man-made climate change.

Watch | WION Climate Tracker: Devastating & Treacherous wildfires | EU nations to aid French wildfire fight

According to Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS), tens of thousands of hectares of forest in France, Portugal, and Spain have gone up in smoke this year.

Because of an extended heatwave that saw temperature records shatter, France has reached unprecedented levels of carbon pollution from wildfires in the last three months, reports AFP. As per the European Union's satellite monitoring programme, they are at their highest level since records began in 2003.

CAMS reported that the daily total fire radiative power in France, Spain, and Portugal in July and August was "significantly higher" than usual. The agency has warned that a huge chunk of Western Europe is currently in "extreme fire danger," with other areas in "very extreme fire danger."

"The very extreme fire danger ratings that have been forecasted for large areas of southern Europe mean that the scale and intensity of any fires can be greatly increased, and this is what we have been observing in our emissions estimates and the impacts it has on local air quality," said Mark Parrington, CAMS senior scientist.

​​​​​​​Elsewhere, in Brazil, according to official numbers released Monday, the number of forest fires in the Brazilian Amazon climbed by 8 per cent last month compared to July 2021, sounding the latest alarm for the world's largest rainforest.

While far from the worst July on record (19,364 fires in 2005), satellite monitoring recorded 5,373 fires last month, up from 4,977 in July last year, according to INPE, Brazil's space agency.

(With inputs from agencies)

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(With inputs from agencies)

Watch WION LIVE HERE:

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.