Unprecedented Blazes Envelop Alaska

Numerous large-scale wildfires have been burning in Alaska since the beginning of June. Some of these fires have been inside the Arctic Circle. The impacts of the fires have been to significantly degrade air quality across the state and some thick smoke plumes have been observed crossing the Beaufort Sea and Arctic Ocean as far as northern Greenland.

Warming Arctic temperatures, associated both with early snowmelt, increased vegetation, drought and also increased vapour in the atmosphere associated with increased lightning storms, have primed Alaska for an exceptional fire season, which so far is on track to surpass the record 2004 season that saw 6.5m acres burned. Adding fuel to the fire is that brown carbon from the wildfires drifts toward the polar regions, where it accelerates Arctic warming.

This article from The Guardian tells you more about the impact on the region.

Read about the global risks from Arctic change HERE.