{"id":677320,"date":"2025-06-26T08:50:18","date_gmt":"2025-06-26T05:50:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-high-latitude-peat-and-forest-fires-could-shape-the-future-of-earths-climate\/"},"modified":"2025-06-26T08:50:18","modified_gmt":"2025-06-26T05:50:18","slug":"how-high-latitude-peat-and-forest-fires-could-shape-the-future-of-earths-climate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-high-latitude-peat-and-forest-fires-could-shape-the-future-of-earths-climate\/","title":{"rendered":"How high-latitude peat and forest fires could shape the future of Earth&#8217;s climate"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3a9a73e1bfd\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3a9a73e1bfd\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-high-latitude-peat-and-forest-fires-could-shape-the-future-of-earths-climate\/#The_rising_threat_of_northern_fires\" >The rising threat of northern fires<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-high-latitude-peat-and-forest-fires-could-shape-the-future-of-earths-climate\/#Air_pollution_and_weather_patterns\" >Air pollution and weather patterns<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-high-latitude-peat-and-forest-fires-could-shape-the-future-of-earths-climate\/#Peat_fires_and_the_climate_puzzle\" >Peat fires and the climate puzzle<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-high-latitude-peat-and-forest-fires-could-shape-the-future-of-earths-climate\/#Tackling_the_challenge_of_northern_fires\" >Tackling the challenge of northern fires<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"article-gallery lightGallery\">\n<div data-thumb=\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/tmb\/2021\/fire.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/scx2.b-cdn.net\/gfx\/news\/hires\/2021\/fire.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Credit: Unsplash\/CC0 Public Domain\">\n<figure class=\"article-img\">\n            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/800a\/2021\/fire.jpg\" alt=\"fire\" title=\"Credit: Unsplash\/CC0 Public Domain\" width=\"800\" height=\"530\"\/><figcaption class=\"text-darken text-low-up text-truncate-js text-truncate mt-3\">\n                Credit: Unsplash\/CC0 Public Domain<br \/>\n            <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Understanding how wildfires influence our planet&#8217;s climate is a daunting challenge. Although fire occurs nearly everywhere on Earth and has always been present, it is still one of the least understood components of the Earth system. Recently, unprecedented fire activity has been observed in boreal (northern) and Arctic regions, which has drawn the scientific community&#8217;s attention to areas whose role in the future of our planet remains a mystery. Climate change likely has a major role in this alarming trend. However, high-latitude wildfires are not just a symptom of climate change; they are an accelerating force that could shape the future of our climate in ways that we are currently incapable of predicting.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_rising_threat_of_northern_fires\"><\/span>The rising threat of northern fires<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>As global temperatures rise, wildfires are advancing further north and reaching into the Arctic. <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/natural-resources.canada.ca\/stories\/simply-science\/canada-s-record-breaking-wildfires-2023-fiery-wake-call\" target=\"_blank\">Canada<\/a>, <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/alaska-on-fire-thousands-of-lightning-strikes-and-a-warming-climate-put-alaska-on-pace-for-another-historic-fire-season-186453\" target=\"_blank\">Alaska<\/a>, <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.themoscowtimes.com\/2020\/07\/23\/in-photos-disastrous-wildfires-sweep-siberia-a70932\" target=\"_blank\">Siberia<\/a>, Scandinavia and even <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/nilu.com\/2018\/04\/the-peat-fires-in-greenland-a-harbinger-of-accelerated-ice-melting\/\" target=\"_blank\">Greenland<\/a>, all in northern high-latitude regions, have recently experienced some of the most intense and prolonged wildfire seasons on record. With climate change occurring more rapidly in these areas, the future of northern fires <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>ears even grimmer.<\/p>\n<p>Apart from typical forest fires that consume surface vegetation, many high-latitude fires burn through peat, the dense, carbon-rich layers of partially decayed organic material. Despite covering only 3% of the terrestrial surface, peatlands are one of the world&#8217;s most important carbon storage environments, containing around 25% of the carbon existing in Earth&#8217;s soils.<\/p>\n<p>Climate warming, which is even faster at high northern latitudes due to polar amplification\u2014the phenomenon of greater climate change near the poles compared to the rest of the hemisphere or globe\u2014is increasing the vulnerability of these ecosystems to fire, with potentially severe implications for the global climate. When peatlands ignite, they release massive amounts of &#8220;fossil carbon&#8221; that have been locked away for centuries or even millennia. The largest and most persistent fires on Earth, peat fires can smolder for extended periods, are difficult to extinguish and can continue burning underground throughout the winter, only to reignite on the surface in spring. They have recently been described as <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/zombie-fires-in-the-arctic-canadas-extreme-wildfire-season-offers-a-glimpse-of-new-risks-in-a-warmer-drier-future-209666\" target=\"_blank\">&#8220;zombie&#8221; fires<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Warmer and drier conditions driven by climate change, apart from making boreal forests more flammable, are expected to intensify and increase the frequency of peat fires, potentially transforming peatlands from carbon sinks into net sources of greenhouse gas emissions. Such a shift could trigger a feedback loop, meaning that a warming climate will cause more carbon emissions, which in turn will accelerate climate change.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ads w-100 my-4 article-main__more bg-light p-3 border\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<p class=\"mb-3\">\n        Discover the latest in <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/sciencee\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"5\" title=\"Science\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">science<\/a>, tech, and space with over <strong>100,000 subscribers<\/strong> who rely on Phys.org for daily insights.<br \/>\n        Sign up for our <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/sciencex.com\/help\/newsletter\/\" target=\"_blank\">free newsletter<\/a> and get updates on breakthroughs,<br \/>\n        innovations, and research that matter\u2014<strong>daily or weekly<\/strong>.\n    <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Air_pollution_and_weather_patterns\"><\/span>Air pollution and weather patterns<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Wildfires release large quantities of smoke particles (aerosols) into the atmosphere, contributing significantly to both local and widespread <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/edition.cnn.com\/2023\/09\/17\/us\/air-quality-wildfire-pollution-allergy-dg\" target=\"_blank\">air quality degradation<\/a>. These particles are <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/news.stanford.edu\/stories\/2025\/01\/assessing-wildfire-health-risks\" target=\"_blank\">harmful to human health<\/a> and can cause serious respiratory and cardiovascular problems, while prolonged exposure may lead to smoke-induced stress, hospitalizations and increased mortality. Wildfires can also cause mental health strains associated with evacuations, loss of homes, livelihoods and lives.<\/p>\n<p>Beyond their long-term effects on climate, wildfire emissions can also influence weather patterns in more short-term ways via their impacts on atmospheric pollution levels. Smoke particles interact with sunlight and cloud formation processes, subsequently affecting temperatures, wind patterns and rainfall.<\/p>\n<p>For example, our recent <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/meetingorganizer.copernicus.org\/EGU25\/EGU25-10833.html\" target=\"_blank\">study<\/a> on the large-scale atmospheric impacts of the 2023 Canadian wildfires, which we presented at the European Geosciences Union <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/general\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"3\" title=\"General\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">general<\/a> assembly this spring, demonstrated that wildfire aerosols led to a surface air temperature decrease that expanded to the entire northern hemisphere. The cooling was particularly pronounced over Canada (up to -5.5\u00b0C in August), where the emissions were located, but was also significant over remote areas such as Eastern Europe and even Siberia (up to around -2.5\u00b0C in July). The average hemispheric temperature anomaly we calculated (close to -1\u00b0C) highlights the potential for large regional emissions from wildfires to perturb weather conditions for weeks across a whole hemisphere, with profound implications for forecasting. Unreliable weather forecasts can disrupt daily activities and pose risks to public safety, especially during extreme events such as heat waves or storms. They also have serious consequences for industries such as farming, fishing and transport, where planning depends heavily on accurate, timely predictions.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Peat_fires_and_the_climate_puzzle\"><\/span>Peat fires and the climate puzzle<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>While incorporating peatland fire feedbacks into <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.climateurope.eu\/earth-system-modeling-a-definition\/\" target=\"_blank\">Earth system models<\/a> (ESMs) is essential for accurate climate projections, most existing models lack a representation of peat fires. Understanding the smoldering behavior of organic soils when they burn, their ignition probability, and how these processes can be represented at a global scale is of utmost importance. Recent research efforts are focusing on bridging this knowledge gap. For example, at the Technical University of Crete, we are collaborating with the <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.imperial.ac.uk\/hazelab\/\" target=\"_blank\">Hazelab<\/a> research group at Imperial College London and the <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/centreforwildfires.org\/\" target=\"_blank\">Leverhulme Centre for Wildfires, Environment and Society<\/a> to perform <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/centreforwildfires.org\/projects\/northern-high-latitudes-peat-fires-from-lab-to-modelling\/\" target=\"_blank\">field research and cutting-edge experiments)<\/a> on peat smoldering, with the aim of shedding light on the complex mechanisms of peat fires.<\/p>\n<p>Integrating these lab results into ESMs will enable <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/game\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"7\" title=\"Game\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">game<\/a>-changing fire emission modeling, which holds potential for groundbreaking outcomes when it comes to our skill level for predicting the future of Earth&#8217;s climate. By quantifying how the present-day atmosphere is influenced by fire emissions from boreal forests and peatlands, we can enhance the quality of projections of global temperature rise. This integration will also sharpen forecasts of regional climate impacts driven by fire-related aerosols, such as changes in rainfall patterns or accelerated Arctic ice melt.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tackling_the_challenge_of_northern_fires\"><\/span>Tackling the challenge of northern fires<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Undoubtedly, we have entered an era of more frequent megafires\u2014wildfires of extreme size, intensity, duration or impacts\u2014with catastrophic consequences. Recent megafire events at boreal and Arctic regions unveil the dramatic change in wildfire patterns in northern high latitudes, which is a matter that demands urgent attention and action.<\/p>\n<p>As the planet continues to warm, high-latitude fires are expected to help shape the future of our planet. Massive wildfire events, such as those in Canada in 2023, not only burned millions of hectares but also forced hundreds of thousands of people to <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/live-news\/20230819-tens-of-thousands-flee-western-canada-wildfires\" target=\"_blank\">evacuate<\/a> their homes. Unprecedented amounts of smoke blanketed parts of North America in hazardous air, prompting school closures and health warnings, and obliging citizens to remain indoors for days. Events like this reflect <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/article\/canada-wildfires-2025.html\" target=\"_blank\">a growing trend<\/a>. They underscore why advancing research to better understand and predict the dynamics of northern peat and forest fires, and to mitigate their climate impacts, is not only a scientific imperative but also a moral responsibility.<\/p>\n<div class=\"d-inline-block text-medium mt-4\">\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tProvided by<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe Conversation<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"icon_open\" href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<use href=\"https:\/\/phys.b-cdn.net\/tmpl\/v6\/img\/svg\/sprite.svg#icon_open\" x=\"0\" y=\"0\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"article-main__note mt-4\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t  This article is republished from <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\" target=\"_blank\">The Conversation<\/a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/how-high-latitude-peat-and-forest-fires-could-shape-the-future-of-earths-climate-258721\" target=\"_blank\">original article<\/a>.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/counter.theconversation.com\/content\/258721\/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced\" alt=\"The Conversation\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t <\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<!-- print only --><\/p>\n<div class=\"d-none d-print-block\">\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<strong>Citation<\/strong>:<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHow high-latitude peat and forest fires could shape the future of Earth&#8217;s climate (2025, June 25)<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tretrieved 26 June 2025<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tfrom https:\/\/phys.org\/<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">news<\/a>\/2025-06-high-latitude-peat-forest-future.html\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t <\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script id=\"facebook-jssdk\" async=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/sdk.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMN63nwsw68G3Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more Like this articles, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/category\/sciencee\/\" target=\"_blank\" >Science category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/phys.org\/news\/2025-06-high-latitude-peat-forest-future.html\" target=\"_blank\" >Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Credit: Unsplash\/CC0 Public Domain Understanding how wildfires influence our planet&#8217;s climate is a daunting challenge. Although fire occurs nearly everywhere on Earth and has always been present, it is still one of the least understood components of the Earth system. Recently, unprecedented fire activity has been observed in boreal (northern) and Arctic regions, which has&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":677321,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/scx2.b-cdn.net\/gfx\/news\/hires\/2021\/fire.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-677320","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sciencee"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/677320","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=677320"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/677320\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/677321"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=677320"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=677320"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=677320"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}