Devastating Canadian wildfires release record carbon emissions, threatening air quality and fueling the climate crisis
June 27 – In a troubling announcement, the EU’s Copernicus Atmospheric Monitoring Service revealed that the wildfires raging across eastern and western Canada have emitted an unprecedented 160 million tonnes of carbon. This year’s wildfire season has become the most severe on record, with a staggering 76,000 square kilometres (29,000 square miles) of land engulfed in flames. To put this into perspective, the affected area is larger than the combined total of the fires that occurred in 2016, 2019, 2022, and 2022, as reported by the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre.
As of June 26, the carbon emissions resulting from these fires have reached historic levels since satellite monitoring began in 2003, surpassing the previous high of 140 million tonnes recorded in 2014. Mark Parrington, a senior scientist at Copernicus, emphasized that the surge in emissions can be attributed primarily to the fires in eastern Canada, rather than those in the west. He clarified that the emissions from Alberta and British Columbia, although significant, are not breaking any records.
The impact of Canada’s wildfires on the atmosphere and air quality has raised concerns among scientists. The carbon released during these fires is approximately equivalent to the annual carbon dioxide emissions generated by fossil fuel burning in Indonesia. Forests play a vital role in absorbing carbon dioxide and act as crucial carbon sinks. Canada’s northern boreal forest alone stores more than 200 billion tonnes of carbon, which is equivalent to several decades’ worth of global carbon emissions. However, when these forests burn, a portion of that stored carbon is released into the atmosphere. This accelerates the process of global warming and creates a dangerous feedback loop, as it increases the likelihood of future forest fires.
The smoke from the Canadian wildfires has blanketed major urban centers, such as New York City and Toronto, turning the skies an eerie orange. Public health authorities have issued air quality alerts, urging residents to stay indoors. The smoke has even crossed the North Atlantic, and it is predicted that Europe will experience hazy skies and vibrant orange sunsets as the fires in Quebec and Ontario worsen. Fortunately, the smoke is expected to remain at higher altitudes, minimizing the impact on surface air quality.
With Canada still grappling with unusually warm and dry conditions, there seems to be no end in sight for this destructive wildfire season. Historically, the peak of Canada’s wildfire season occurs in late July or August, with emissions continuing to rise throughout the summer.
