In July, Russian officials announced that 300 fires were burning in the northern part of the country.
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On top of unusually high temperatures and dry soil, the new fires have environmental scientists deeply concerned.
There are five reasons why scientists are worried about this new trend.
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1. Carbon Emissions: In June, the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service measured 50 megatons of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere by the fires alone.
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That’s the amount released annually by the entire country of Sweden.
2. Losing Permafrost: Permafrost is supposed to stay frozen year round. Entire cities are built on permafrost in the Arctic Circle. Now, that permafrost is melting.
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Norway’s “doomsday” seed bank that protects seeds important for agricultural and scientific purposes is in danger of collapse because of thawing soil.
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3. Danger to Wildlife: Animals like arctic hares, moose, and martens are displaced by fires.
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The fires — and warming in general — also harm local caribou populations, which in turn affect the humans who raise them.
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4. Warming from Extreme Logging: Clear-cutting forests removes carbon-storing trees, which allows carbon to remain in the atmosphere longer — and contribute to warming.
Warmer and drier conditions create environments ripe for fires.
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5. Unknown Future: Temperatures in Siberia soared to 100 degrees in June. This is unprecedented, and scientists aren’t sure what’s going to happen in the region next.
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One thing is for certain: The Arctic is warming much faster than the rest of the world, and the consequences could be dire.