Title: Human-Caused Climate Crisis Increases Severity and Frequency of Wildfires in Canada, Study Shows
Subtitle: Burning of fossil fuels and fire-prone weather intensify wildfires, posing risks to lives and ecosystems
Date: [Current Date]
As Canada grapples with its worst wildfire season on record, scientists have determined that the human-caused climate crisis is primarily responsible for the extreme conditions that fueled the devastating blazes. According to a recent study conducted by a coalition of scientists from Canada, the UK, and the Netherlands, the burning of fossil fuels has made wildfires at least twice as likely, while the fire-prone weather has become 20% more intense.
The 2023 Canadian wildfire season has had a catastrophic impact, with an area larger than Greece, approximately 14 million hectares (34 million acres), burned and resulting in the loss of lives, mass evacuations, and the spread of toxic smoke that reached as far as Norway and turned the sky above New York City orange in June.
The attribution study focused specifically on the wildfires that ravaged the Canadian province of Quebec between May and July. It revealed that the climate crisis, driven by the burning of fossil fuels, contributed to doubling the chances of fire-prone weather conditions, which were unprecedented but are likely to become more commonplace as global temperatures rise.
Yan Boulanger, a research scientist at Natural Resources Canada and part of the World Weather Attribution study team, described the severity of the wildfires as shocking. He stressed that climate change significantly increases the flammability of fuel available for wildfires, making it easier for small sparks to ignite large infernos.
The study analyzed the fire weather index, which assesses wildfire risk based on temperature, windspeed, humidity, and rainfall. It found a doubling of the index’s peak during May to July in Quebec, when a significant number of wildfires occurred, indicating the influence of the climate crisis. Moreover, the fires during this period were 20% more intense due to the effects of climate change.
While climate change does not directly spark the fires themselves, it creates the conditions that make forests more susceptible to wildfires. The early summer of 2023 experienced ideal conditions for fire propagation, with Canada breaking its national temperature record for May and June by 0.8C (1.4F). Low humidity and reduced snow cover further contributed to the rapid spread of fires across the country.
Philippe Gachon, a researcher at the Université du Québec à Montréal, emphasized that the loss of snow cover, a traditional fire limiter in Canada, is becoming a significant concern. The warming climate leads to earlier snow thawing, allowing wildfires to start earlier in the year and increasing the number of burn days.
Apart from the direct impact on lives and ecosystems in Canada, the wildfires had a broader reach. Smoke blanketed Canadian cities like Toronto and Ottawa before continuing southwards to affect parts of the US. At one point, New York City had the world’s worst air quality due to the smoke, compelling residents to stay indoors and wear masks.
The field of attribution has enabled scientists to establish stronger connections between extreme weather events and the climate crisis. Recent studies have confirmed that heatwaves in the US, Europe, and China this year were significantly influenced by climate change.
Friederike Otto, a climate scientist at Imperial College London, highlighted the ongoing threat of wildfires worldwide. She warned that as long as fossil fuels continue to be burned, the number, size, and duration of wildfires will continue to increase.
Efforts to address the climate crisis and transition to renewable energy sources have become even more critical in preventing further devastation from wildfires in Canada and beyond. Immediate action is needed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the risks posed by a warming planet.
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