Europe’s summer of wildfires is just a taste of what’s to come
The area of Europe affected by wildfires is due to triple, a new study finds
Europe is experiencing a summer of wildfires, with over 1,750 incidents forcing the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of people across France, Spain, and Greece, among other countries. The flames have burned an area of 1.5 million acres so far, and the season is far from over. According to a new study published in the journal Global Change Biology, the area of Europe affected by wildfires is expected to triple by 2100 under a high-emissions scenario.
This is due to climate change causing the continent to heat up, dry out, and turn vegetation into tinder.
Scientists found that in a future with increased greenhouse gas emissions, the area burned by wildfires in Europe would increase by 39 percent annually. In the worst-case scenario, with a global temperature rise of about 3.6 degrees Celsius (6.5 degrees Fahrenheit), the area burned would see a 192 percent increase. This is a dire warning for the world, as many places affected by wildfires are at high risk of experiencing more frequent and larger fires due to climate change.
Experts agree that while firefighting and fire prevention efforts can help mitigate some of the worst effects, they cannot fully solve the impending fire-weather dangers caused by climate change. Proactive fire management is crucial for restoring fire-adapted systems and supporting social and ecological objectives. However, these efforts alone will not be enough to combat the looming fire-weather dangers.
Written by urgent.news from Scientific American's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
