Climate change brings Canada to the edge: forest fires out of control!

Climate change brings Canada to the edge: forest fires out of control!

On Monday, the fire brigade in Canada fought against more than 220 forest fires that together destroyed almost four million hectares of land. Despite the efforts, 90 of these fires have not been brought under control so far. However, the situation has relaxed a bit through falling temperatures. However, experts fear a bad forest fire season because the burned area is already greater than in previous years at that time. This warning comes from Marc-André Parisien, a representative of the Canadian forest authority, who has observed an increase in forest fires in coastal areas such as squamish. Source [Kleine Zeitung] (https://www.kleinezeitung.at/service/newsticker/chronik/19803343/feuer-ahne -her-kanadischer-Großstadt-Vancouver-Unter-Uinte-under-check continues that the devastating fires are primarily attributable to the changing climate, which results in longer phases with heat and dryness.

The current forest fires in Canada are among the most devastating in the history of the country. So far, more than 15 million hectares of land have been destroyed, which is more than twice as much as in the worst year 1995 when 7 million hectares went into flames. Tens of thousands of people had to leave their houses, and the fires develop so much energy that they often burn beyond the control threshold. In this context, the forest scientist Alexander Held speaks of a "new quality" of the fires, which makes effective fighting difficult. Among other things, this development is the result of inadequate forestry, which is characterized by monocultures and little mixing, as well as by climate change. The Tagesschau also emphasizes the situation and warns of the associated health risks through fine dust, especially after reports about the poor air quality in Montreal, which was part of the worst worldwide in June.

causes and consequences

The direct fire emissions are alarming: In 2023, around 290 megatons CO2 were released by the fires. While forest fires are usually carbon sinks, they are transformed into sources of CO2. In British Columbia, forest fires have emitted more CO2 in recent years than all fossil fuels burned by the population and industry. This is presented in a report by CTIF, which indicates that 2023 broke the forest fire season with 327 megatons Carbon emissions by the end of August. In the northwest territories, the fires led to CO2 emissions that were 277 times higher than human activities in one year.

The problem of forest fires becomes even more complicated by their interactions with climate change. Experts agree that long -lasting drought and higher temperatures increase the risk of fire. As a possible solution, it is recommended to restructure the forests in order to integrate more mixed forest and deciduous trees. In addition, targeted management strategies, including controlled fire in spring, could help prevent larger fires in summer. However, according to the Tagesschau, such prevention measures are often controversial and are rejected in many countries.