Category : Forest | Location : International | Posted on 2022-08-25 21:58:01
Forest fires are becoming more common and wildfires are destroying nearly twice as much tree cover globally as they did in 2001, according to a new analysis. An additional 7.4 million acres of forest are getting burnt annually now — an area roughly the size of Belgium.
Fires account for a growing share of forest loss, according to the research by World Resources Institute (WRI), a global research non-profit. Climate change is driving more intense and widespread wildfires by fueling more extreme heat and deepening drought, which dries out forests, the researchers said.
Extreme heat waves are already five times more likely today than they were 150 years ago and are expected to become even more frequent as the planet continues to warm. Wildfires were responsible for over a third of global tree cover loss in 2021, while they were accountable for around a fifth of the loss in 2001.
Source: https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/climate-change/wildfires-destroy-twice-the-forest-cover-today-compared-to-2-decades-ago-84537
