Numerous and intense wildfires that often break records and are linked to global warming are not just occurring in western Canada and the United States but across many countries around the world.
A Mexican wildfire
In Russia
"Climate Change Is 'Main Cause' of Siberia's Wildfires, Regional Head Says. Updated: July 20, 2021." (https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2021/07/20/climate-change-is-main-cause-o...)
Across the Mediterranean
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has declared parts of southern Turkey ravaged by wildfires as “disaster areas”, with the death toll from the fires rising to six after two forest workers were killed....
More than 2,600 fires have erupted each year on average in the last decade, but that figure jumped to almost 3,400 last year, said Husrev Ozkara, vice-chair of the Turkish Foresters Association.
A heatwave across southern Europe, fed by hot air from Africa, has led to wildfires across the Mediterranean. Temperatures in Greece and nearby countries in southeast Europe are expected to climb to 42 degrees Celsius (more than 107 Fahrenheit) on Monday in many cities and towns and ease only later next week.
Experts have said climate change is fuelling extreme weather events around the world, including wildfires and floods.
In Ireland
Climate crisis exacerbating fires such as Killarney blaze. Climate change has provided an environment that enables small fires to grow out of control, often causing mass destruction, environmental organisation. (https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/munster/arid-40275899.html)
In central and northern Europe
In recent years, forest fires have affected regions in central and northern Europe not typically prone to fires, and, in 2018, more countries suffered large fires than ever before, coinciding with record droughts and heatwaves. An expansion of fire-prone areas and longer fire seasons are projected in most European regions, so additional adaptation measures are needed. (https://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/indicators/forest-fire-danger-4/...)
In Mexico
Thus far, 2021 has been one of the most challenging years in terms of forest fires in Mexico, according to the National Forestry Commission (CONAFOR). In the first three months of the year there were 2,871 wildfires, equivalent to 73,459 hectares burned. Currently, CONAFOR reports 87 active fires are burning in 17 of Mexico’s 32 states. In comparison, the year 2013 saw 4,431 wildfires, equivalent to 80,492 hectares burned. Given that we are just a little more than four months into the year, it is believed that 2021 could be the most catastrophic wildfire period in 23 years. Back in 1998 there were 6,141 fires, and more than 116,264 hectares were affected. (https://www.nfpa.org/News-and-Research/Publications-and-media/Blogs-Land...)
In the Amazon
Drought and high temperatures amplify the destructive effects of deforestation and wildfires.
The climate in the Amazon has been changing over the last few decades. The average temperature in the basin rose about 1º Celsius (1.8° Fahrenheit) between 1979 and 2018, with increases of up to 1.5ºC (2.7°F) in some regions. And there have been three “one-in-a-century” episodes of extreme drought in the last 15 years: in 2005, 2010 and 2015....
The authors estimate that these temperatures will affect most of the Amazon by mid-century, even if greenhouse gas emissions are curbed. (https://news.mongabay.com/2021/07/hotter-and-drier-deforestation-and-wil...)
And of course we cannot forget the catastrophic fires of the 2019-20 Australian summer
The extreme fires that razed more than 18 million hectares of bush in Australia late last year were significantly more likely because of human-induced climate change, say an international group of climate scientists who have analysed the disaster. (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-00627-y)
The massive White Rock Lake fire, burning between Kamloops and Vernon, has become increasingly aggressive and ripped through the community of Monte Lake on Thursday night.
Burned forests in the area of Rovies, northern Evia on August 5, 2021 [Nick Paleologos/Al Jazeera]
![Ryad Kramdi/AFP]](https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/000_9KX2MW.jpg?resize=770%2C513)
![Temperatures have been over 40C (104F) all week [Alexandros Avramidis/Reuters]](https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/2021-08-07T010217Z_866715581_RC210P9HE03C_RTRMADP_3_GREECE-WILDFIRES.jpg?resize=770%2C513)
Canadian banks have financed oil, gas, and coal companies to the tune of nearly $700 billion since the Paris Agreement was signed, and could be more at risk than they’re letting on.
Damaged vehicles and a structure is seen in Lytton, B.C., on Friday, July 9, 2021, after a wildfire destroyed most of the village on June 30. File photo by The Canadian Press/Darryl Dyck
