Copernicus: Emissions from Canadian wildfires are highest on record – the smoke cloud has now reached Europe

CAMS Optical Depth Analyzes of Aerosol Organics at 550 nm from June 1-26, 2023

Since the beginning of May, Canada’s British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories, Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia regions have been affected by severe wildfires.. Emissions from these fires through June 26 are the largest measured annual emissions for Canada in 21 years of measurements. Smoke from the fires has significantly worsened air quality across North America and has now also reached the European Atlantic coast. Copernicus Atmospheric Monitoring Service (CAMS) Emissions and intensity were followed by the Fire Radiant Power (FRP).

After an unusually dry period with rising temperatures, several wildfires have raged in Canada since the beginning of May. Concentrated initially in the western part of the country, but later also in the eastern regions, the fires have caused a total of about 160 megatons of carbon dioxide emissions, the highest total annual emissions measured for Canada based on CAMS Global Fire Absorption System (GFAS) measurements from 2003 until today.

Effect of smog on air quality on air quality in Europe

Another increase in the intensity of wildfires in Quebec and Ontario from June 21-22 led to global expectations[GU1] that showed a particularly strong movement of smoke clouds over the North Atlantic. High aerosol optical depth values ​​have now been reached in Europe and carbon monoxide is expected during the period 26-29 June. It is important to note that long range transport of smoke, as in this case, tends to occur at higher altitudes where air pollutants have longer lifetimes, which means appearing like hazy skies with red/orange sunsets. Thus, smoke is not expected to have a significant impact on surface air quality. 5 and PM10 surface concentrations can contribute to local air pollution, and changes are constantly and closely monitored.

Mark Barrington, Chief Scientist at CAMS comments: Our monitoring of the extent and persistence of fire emissions in Canada since early May showed how well that was compared to our two-decade-old measurements. The long-distance smoke movement that we are currently observing is not unusual and is not expected to have a significant impact on surface air quality in Europe, but it is a clear reflection of the intensity of the fires that accounted for the high optical aerosol values. The depth and other pollutants associated with the smoke cloud are very high when you get to this side of the Atlantic

The CMS provides up-to-date information on the location, intensity and estimated emissions of fires worldwide, including tracking the movement of smoke clouds and how they affect the composition of the atmosphere. The CAMS data is freely available for use and can serve as an important aid in the decision-making processes of citizens, companies and stakeholders in relevant sectors.

More information about the movement of smoke clouds in Europe here.

A Global Fire Monitor page is available for the Competency Assurance Management System here:

Read more about fire monitoring Frequently asked questions about CAMS Wildfire:

About Copernicus and the ECMWF

Copernicus is part of the European Union’s space program, funded by the European Union, which is the flagship program for Earth observation. The company operates through six thematic services: Atmosphere, Marine, Land, Climate Change, Security and Emergencies. It offers freely available operational data and services that provide users with reliable and up-to-date information about our planet and its environment. The program is coordinated and managed by the European Commission and implemented in partnership with Member States, the European Space Agency (ESA), the European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT), the European Center for Medium Distance Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), EU agencies, Mercator Océan and others.

The ECMWF operates two services of the European Union’s Copernicus Earth Observing Programme: the Copernicus Atmospheric Monitoring Service (CAMS) and the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S). They also contribute to the Copernicus Emergency Management Service (CEMS), which is implemented by the European Union Joint Research Council (JRC). The European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) is an independent intergovernmental organization supported by 35 countries. It is a 24/7 operational and research institute that produces and disseminates digital weather forecasts to its member states. This data is fully available to the National Meteorological Services of the Member States. The supercomputer facility (and associated data archive) at the ECMWF is one of the largest of its kind in Europe and member states can use 25 percent of its capacity for their own purposes.

ECMWF has expanded the number of locations in which it operates. In addition to the UK headquarters and computing center in Italy, new offices focusing on activities carried out in partnership with the European Union, such as Copernicus, will be located in Bonn, Germany.

Copernicus Atmosphere Observing Service Networkhttp://atmosphere.copernicus.eu/
Copernicus Climate Change Networkhttps://climate.copernicus.eu/
More information about Copernicus:www.copernicus.eu
ECMWF website:https://www.ecmwf.int/

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Nuria Lopez
communication | Copernicus Contracts and the Press
General manager’s office
European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts
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Bjorn Mogensen
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