Some fires “don’t die”. They survive underground over the winter and then reappear in the spring. Such “zombie fire” I woke up in the Arctic circle. The Copernicus service for monitoring the atmosphere currently watching this phenomenon through the satellite.
“Zombie-fires” smoulder underground for months, they are particularly abundant in the dense peat bogs. They break as soon as it becomes warmer and drier. In April, a “fire” found two fire appliances in Alaska. Although the fire started in August 2019.
The appearance of these lesions suggests that in 2020, people should expect a major point of ignition. Scientists emphasize that, in General, fires in the Arctic circle yet behave well, but it is expected that the situation may change in June. Moreover, fires are likely to increase due to the fact that the temperature in Russia is just emerging, and winter and certainly was one of the warmest.
To stop the “zombie fire” – a difficult task. It can happen in extremely remote areas without any roads or means of fighting.
Scientists say that it is a question of great importance. Arctic fires don’t just burn trees, they are often burning on peatlands, which throw into the air huge reserves of heat and produce methane. And this, in turn, is critical for our climate.
