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A new study has found that forests destroyed by wildfires emit carbon long after the flames die, with implications for post-fire management, write NATASCHA KLJUN and JULIA KELLY
ONLY THE BEGINNING: Forest fire at Umatilla National Forest, Pacific Northwest Region in 2021 [Brendan O'Reilly/CC]

EVEN in Earth’s high northern-latitude forest, climate change is predicted to make wildfires more frequent and severe

Earth’s far north hosts the boreal forest, a vast green belt that stretches from North America to Siberia. The boreal forest is one of the world’s largest CO₂ sinks. Over the past few thousand years it has removed around one trillion tonnes of carbon from the air, storing it in the trees and soil. Because of the large amount of carbon stored in the boreal forest, fires here can release much more CO₂ into the air than forest fires elsewhere, amplifying climate change.

A large CO₂ store is in danger

What about elsewhere?

Post-fire management is critical

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