An increase in the number of fires in the Arctic regions can turn this territory into a source of carbon emissions, scientists from the Krasnoyarsk Scientific Center of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences said, citing colleagues from the Netherlands, the United States and Russia. TASS writes about it.

Due to fires caused by climate change, almost eight million hectares are burned in the Arctic every year. According to experts, the flames in the Arctic territories most often occur on carbon-rich peatlands and permafrost soils. As a result, burned organic matter and thawing permafrost release record amounts of carbon into the atmosphere.

According to experts, over the past century, the fire danger in the regions of the North has grown significantly. However, the poor knowledge of fossil fuel reserves does not allow an accurate assessment of possible fires.

The development of a permafrost monitoring system has begun in Russia. It will help collect more data on global warming and prevent accidents.