Canada’s Wildfires Have Spewed More CO2 Than Mexico Did in a Year

(Bloomberg) — Fires burning across most Canadian provinces and territories since May have released 410 million metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, roughly the equivalent of Mexico’s emissions in 2021. 

Extremely high temperatures, stoked by climate change, are worsening drought across the planet and fueling fires that can reach unprecedented scale. Canada experienced its worst wildfire season on record this summer and that, along with drought in many parts of the country, have led to economic losses in agriculture, accommodation, food services, mining and quarrying. The area burnt as of Sept. 1 was larger than Bangladesh, with some fires still active. 

Other significant wildfire episodes over the past few months took place in central and far eastern Russian districts, in northern and central Greece and on the island of Maui in Hawaii.