Environment. Last year’s massive wildfires caused a large amount of carbon dioxide emissions

Greek firefighters have been fighting fires around Athens since last Sunday. The fires have claimed one life, caused severe damage and displaced thousands of people. After Greece, these fires that have broken out around the world are becoming more frequent and more destructive due to climate change, emitting large amounts of carbon dioxide between 2023 and 2024, and have ravaged certain regions such as Canada or the Amazon.

That’s one of the conclusions of the first edition of the “State of Wildfire” study.It was published on Wednesday in the Earth System Science Data journal, which is run by the University of East Anglia and other institutions in the UK and is intended to be updated annually.

8.6 billion tons of CO2

Between March 2023 and February 2024, natural fires caused global CO2 emissions of 8.6 billion tonnes, 16% above average and equivalent to around 15% of human greenhouse gas emissions. 3.9 million square kilometres of land were reduced to ash. Only a relatively quiet season on the African savannah fire front prevented a new global CO2 emissions record from being broken in 2023-2024.

“More than 232,000 people were evacuated in Canada alone”

Emissions from the Canadian boreal forest fires are more than nine times the average of the past two decades and account for nearly a quarter of global emissions. The study also recalls: “More than 232,000 people were evacuated in Canada alone, highlighting the severity of the human impact.” Other regions have been particularly affected, especially the Amazon region (Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Venezuela), Hawaii and Greece.

“Last year, fires killed and injured people, destroyed homes and infrastructure, led to large-scale evacuations, threatened livelihoods and damaged vital ecosystems,” said Matthew Jones of the University of East Anglia, lead author of the report.

“As the climate warms, these fires are becoming more frequent and severe, and both society and the environment are suffering the consequences,” he lamented.

“It can minimize the risk”

The authors conclude that climate change has increased the weather conditions that favor these fires, as well as the likelihood of burned areas and extreme fires. For example, they calculated that human-caused warming has made weather conditions conducive to fires in the western Amazon at least 20 times more likely.

Looking ahead, if humans continue to emit large amounts of greenhouse gases, such fires will become more likely, but none have been recorded. “The risk can be minimized. It’s not too late,” Matthew Jones insisted at a news conference.