Enlarge image
Fire at Pyla sur Mer in France (picture from July)
Photo: Thibaud Moritz / AFP
There was a lot of fire in the summer – in southern Europe, but also in Germany.
This has led to the highest emissions of air pollutants contained in smoke in Europe in the past 15 years.
According to the EU's Copernicus atmosphere monitoring service CAMS, the amount of carbon emitted in the European Union and Britain between early June and late August is estimated at 6.4 megatons - the highest since 2007.
"The combination of the August heat wave and extended dry conditions in western Europe resulted in increased numbers, intensity and duration of wildfires," the Copernicus statement said.
The source of the emissions were mainly devastating fires in south-west France and on the Iberian Peninsula.
The release there was even at the highest level in two decades.
"August wildfire activity contributed to a cumulative total area burned in the EU of 508,260 hectares during the summer months (4 June to 3 September), compared to an average of 215,548 hectares over the period 2006-2021," reports Copernicus, citing Data from the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS).
Brazil particularly affected
"Most fires have occurred in places where climate change has increased the flammability of vegetation, such as in south-west Europe, and as we have seen in other regions in other years," explains forest fire expert Mark Parrington.
In other regions of the northern hemisphere, where there are usually high numbers of forest fires, emissions this year were relatively low, the Copernicus service said.
There have been several devastating fires in eastern Russia, but not as severe as in previous years.
In the USA, too, the emission of air pollutants from forest fires was lower than in the past two years.
The fires in Brazil were worse than recently.
In the state of Amazonas, for example, emissions were well above average in July and August.
For their estimates, the scientists from the Copernicus service evaluate satellite images of active fires.
The heat output is measured, from which conclusions can be drawn about the emissions.
ani/dpa
