Context : Global Wildfire Crisis & Carbon Emissions
- Escalation of Wildfires Globally:
- Severe wildfires in 2025 in California (Eaton & Palisades), Texas, Oklahoma, and Japan caused massive destruction: over 14,000 structures destroyed, thousands evacuated, and dozens of lives lost.
- The Eaton Fire alone burned over 16,000 hectares; the Japan fire (near Ofunato City) affected nearly 2,900 hectares, the worst in five decades.
Relevance : GS 3(Disaster Management , Environment and Ecology)
- Wildfire Emissions Data:
- In January 2025 alone, wildfires emitted 800,000 tonnes of carbon, 4x higher than the same period a decade ago (CAMS data).
- Wildfires’ radiative power (heat emission) exceeded the 2003–2024 average by an order of magnitude — indicating intensifying heat signatures.
Arctic Boreal Zone (ABZ): From Carbon Sink to Carbon Source
- ABZ’s Traditional Role:
- Comprises tundra, permafrost, wetlands, and boreal forests.
- Acts as a major carbon sink, historically storing vast carbon in frozen soils and vegetation.
- Transition to Carbon Source:
- A third of ABZ now emits more carbon than it absorbs.
- Shift began before 1990, accelerated by wildfires in Eastern Siberia (2003) and Timmins, Canada (2012).
- Study Insights (Nature Climate Change):
- Analysis from 200 monitoring sites (1990–2020): shows net carbon emission from many Arctic regions.
- Alaska (44%), Northern Europe (25%), and Siberia (13%) were key carbon-emitting regions.
- Non-Summer Emissions > Summer Uptake:
- Emissions during non-summer months (Sep–May) now exceed summer (Jun–Aug) carbon absorption.
- Sign of long-term seasonal imbalances in carbon sequestration.
Feedback Loop: Warming–Wildfire–Carbon Emissions
- Permafrost Thawing:
- Rising Arctic temperatures accelerate permafrost melt, leading to organic decay and CO₂ release.
- Changes in plant types, drier soils, and higher topsoil temperatures worsen the release.
- Vicious Cycle:
- Wildfires release carbon → Carbon worsens global warming → Warming dries land, increases fire risk → More wildfires.
- Creates a self-reinforcing feedback loop with potential tipping points for climate systems.
India’s Forest Fires & Carbon Emissions
- Fire-Prone States:
- As per India State of Forest Report (Dec 2024), Uttarakhand, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh topped forest fire incidents.
- Uttarakhand alone saw 5,315 fires between Nov 2022 and June 2023.
- Hotspot Trends:
- Fire hotspot counts declining slightly:
- 2.23 lakh (2021–22) → 2.03 lakh (2023–24).
- Fire hotspot counts declining slightly:
- Temperature Rise:
- IIT-KGP & IITM, Pune: Land temperatures rising:
- 0.1º–0.3ºC/decade (pre-monsoon);
- 0.2º–0.4ºC/decade (post-monsoon).
- IIT-KGP & IITM, Pune: Land temperatures rising:
- Heatwaves = Fire Risk:
- Earlier, slower-moving, longer-lasting heatwaves are amplifying fire vulnerability.
- India emits ~69 million tonnes of CO₂/year from forest fires (Chase India).
Broader Environmental & Policy Implications
- Loss of Carbon Sink Services:
- ABZ’s shift erodes a key natural buffer against global emissions.
- Increases dependence on anthropogenic emission cuts and carbon capture technologies.
- Climate Justice Concerns:
- Countries with minimal historical emissions, like India, face climate risks from emissions elsewhere.
- Highlights the need for global climate finance, adaptation funds, and early-warning systems.
- Policy Responses Needed:
- Better forest management, fire prevention, and community-based resilience programs.
- In Arctic and elsewhere, international cooperation vital to protect shared global commons.
