REM: Global wildfires pump out four times more CO2 than aviation sector

Raging wildfires exacerbated by climate change are pumping out vast quantities of carbon dioxide (CO2). This pollutes the atmosphere, raising temperatures even more and creating a fires-climate feedback loop that will only get worse, say experts. 

In northern latitudes, which are especially prone to this feedback loop, Canada and Russia are this summer suffering devastating and unprecedented wildfires.

Canada, at least, does not account to the UN for the CO2 from wildfires.

In western Canada in late July, as much as 10% of oil production was endangered by 170 wildfires, of which 53 were out of control. For Canada, the 2023/2024 winter season was the warmest on record.

As many as half of the buildings in tourist town of Jasper in Alberta in the Rocky Mountains were incinerated, with some 20,000 tourists and 5,000 residents fleeing the flames.