Copernicus: Several early wildfires set this year’s emissions record in the Northern Hemisphere this year

CAMS Analysis of Organic Materials, Aerosol Optical Depth at 550 nm for May 1-31, 2023

In the spring of 2023, several regions of the Northern Hemisphere will experience major wildfires, some of them even reaching record heights. Especially in Spain, Canada and Russia, the results were particularly significant at this time of year. Copernicus Atmospheric Monitoring Service (CAMS) Tracks the intensity of wildfires and their emissions to the atmosphere and provides a report on current conditions before the start of the boreal summer.

Early spring fires in Spain

Wildfires began in the Northern Hemisphere early this year, with major fires raging in Spain in March. Since March 23, scientists from CAMS have tracked significant fire activity in different regions of Spain, in particular in Valencia, as well as additional fires in Asturias and Cantabria which, however, are on a smaller scale than those in Valencia.

GFASv1.2 Estimated Total CO2 Emissions in March for Spain.

As a result of these fires, Spain had the highest levels of emissions measured for the month, on par with the 2012 fires. It is very unusual to have fires of this magnitude so early in the year. Copernicus’ data shows how the fire hazards were exacerbated by the high temperatures and dry conditions that hit the continent the previous winter.

Wildfires in Eurasia and Emissions Recording in Canada

During March, April and May, Central America saw slightly above average wildfires that carried some of the smoke into North America and the North Atlantic Ocean.

During the month of May, major fires broke out in two different regions of the northern hemisphere: one in Eurasia and the other in western Canada. Wildfires in Eurasia affected Kazakhstan, Mongolia and some of Russia’s neighboring regions including Kurgan, Tyumen, Omsk and Novosibirsk. Fires burned in the region at a high intensity, in some areas higher than the average measured from 2003-2022. Total estimated emissions for the month were compared to May in recent years.

GFAS v1.2 Active wildfires and radiative forcing of fires across Canada through May 2023.

Widespread wildfires raged across western Canada throughout May 2023. Total Fire Radiant Power (FPR) data released by CAMS has shown significant wildfire activity in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories since early May , with increased activity eastward in Ontario and Nova Scotia towards the end of the month. Additionally, CAMSS tracked significant emissions from these fires that were transported long distances across North America and the Atlantic Ocean, even as far as Scandinavia and the Arctic Ocean. Canada had among the highest measured emissions for the month of May, surpassing the records of British Columbia, Saskatchewan, the Northwest Territories and Nova Scotia.

The situation in Saskatchewan was particularly extreme, given that the region’s previous record emissions in one month of May were 2 megatons, while in May 2023 they were more than 23 megatons.

Mark Barrington, CSMS Chief Scientist commented: “As the northern hemisphere approaches summer, the risk of wildfires is expected to increase with higher temperatures and drier conditions. Monitoring this and the evolution of wildfires is critical to understanding the underlying causes and the effects on the order. Take appropriate action later.

The EFMS, implemented by the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts on behalf of the European Commission with funding from the European Union, monitors forest fires and their emissions throughout the year and provides data on this through the Global Fire Absorption System (GFAS). The system relies on satellite observations of active fires and the fire’s radiative power (FRP), a measure of fire intensity, to estimate carbon emissions and a wide variety of air pollutants. 20 years of measurement values ​​are collected here.

More information about wildfires in Canada and Russia here:

The Global Fire Monitor page of the Competency Assurance Management System can be accessed here:

More about wildfire monitoring at 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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