Inside the quest to combat Arctic fires and save the planet’s frozen carbon
In the middle of an especially warm July in 2021, a wildfire ignited in a thick forest of black spruce and peeling paper birch trees on the northern campus of the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. The blaze, possibly sparked by lightning, burned across the dry carpet of feather mosses and lichen bef…
Résumé
Arctic fires rising
Wildfires in the Arctic and boreal forests are becoming more frequent and severe due to climate change.
In July 2021, a wildfire near Fairbanks, Alaska, burned through dry mosses and lichen before spreading rapidly, sending a 500-foot column of smoke into the air.
These fires are linked to rising temperatures, which dry out landscapes and increase lightning strikes, a key ignition source.
Between 2001 and 2024, global emissions from forest fires rose by 60%, but in boreal forests, they nearly tripled.
This trend is especially concerning because the Arctic is warming up to four times faster than the rest of the planet.
The fires not only destroy forests but also accelerate the thawing of permafrost, a layer of frozen soil that stores vast amounts of carbon.
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