Most of the carbon released during Canada’s record-breaking 2023 wildfire season came from burning soil and peat, rather than trees, according to new research from McMaster University.
Most of the carbon released during Canada’s record-breaking 2023 wildfire season came from burning soil and peat, rather than trees, according to new research from McMaster University.
The study, published today in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, found that underground carbon stores accounted for 76 per cent of wildfire emissions, helping drive a fire season that released nearly a quarter of the world’s wildfire emissions that year.
Researchers estimate the 2023 wildfires burned 15.1 million hectares – seven times Canada’s 20-year average – and released 554 million tonnes of carbon.
Read more at: McMaster University
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