Wildfires Marking The Century
Save the Trees? Trees are the main cause of Forest Fires!
We definitely know that trees or bushes usually cause forest fires or wildfires. It simply starts as a small friction between the woods, which subsequently becomes untameable and famishes the trees wildlife and all the life around it. Furthermore, the wildfires can keep burning from days to months also damaging the air levels. In addition to the causes, a lightning strike, or a manhandled accidents can also cause this disaster.
A wildfire occurs every now and then depending on vegetation. They particularly take place in regions of very warm and dry climates. Subsequently, we will take the look at the fires of the forests with their causes and damaged they made.
The Scars We Face
With the present crisis, every patch of forest counts. Only 6.2 million sq ft of our forests are left. Not only do they provide for the living of a person, it is the reason we are healthy.
They purify the air collectively, make the balance of rain cycle, and clean the water The more they burn, the less functional earth’s ‘lungs’ become.
ALSO READ : How deforesting is destroying our future
Top 10 Wild-Fires
The last year’s unfortunate Australian forest fire shook the world, killing billions of wildlife and painting the air of the region red, quite literally. Moreover, we will be rating the fires of the century accordingly.
ALSO READ : Why we need to plant more trees
#10. 2015 Russian wildfires
The series of wildfires continued from 12 to 16 April 2015, spreading across southern Siberia, Russia. Around 11,000 km2 area was burned, killing 29 and leaving 6,000 homeless in the Republic of Khakassia. The fire also damaged some areas near China and Inner Mongolia. The damage estimated to be US$3.2 million.
#9. 2017 British Columbia wildfires
On July 6, 2017, a two-hectare wildfire began west of 100 Mile House, British Columbia, and Canada marking the record breaking 2017 wildfire in British Columbia. On the following day, 56 new fires started throughout the region. By September 12, 158, fires were burning throughout the province. A total of 12,161 square kilometres (1.2 million hectares) had burned by the end of the 2017 fire season. It was the largest total area burnt in a fire season in recorded history (1.3% of BC total area).Research indicated that climate change playing a significant role in the fires.
#8. 2006-2007 Australian bush fire season
This was one of the most extensive bush fire seasons in Australia’s history. The Victorian Alps and Gippsland were burning over 1 million hectares of land over the course of 69 days.
Despite the amount of land burnt, the fires were contained to unoccupied regions of the Victorian Alps, national parks and remnant bush land. Even so, only one fatality came as a result of the fires.
#7. 2011–2012 Australian bush fire season
This season of bush fire happened from September 2011 to March 2012, damaging parts of Western Australia. The damage was controlled subsequently as the state was prepared for the risk of bush fire because of La Nina weather pattern.
#6. 2010 Bolivia forest fires
The 2010 Bolivia forest fires were a state emergency in Bolivia, as at this time wildfires spread across the country. More than 25,000 fires were burning across 15,000 square kilometers (3,700,000 acres). Nonetheless, government could not combat the fire as with lack of fire management system. As a result, the fires destroyed nearly 60 homes.
#5. 2002–2003 Australian bush fire season
Along with all the periodic bushfire season in Australia, the season 2002 – 2003 was impactful. There were over 3,000 separate fires from December 2002 to March 2003 in Victoria alone.
These fires were result of lightning strikes in multiple locations .This moreover burnt 1.12 million hectares over 2 months. At this time, over 15,000 personnel were directly involved with this fire.
#4. 2014 Northwest Territories fires
The 2014 forest fire season in the Northwest Territories of Canada is reputed to be worst wild fire of last three decades. By 9 July, the totals had reached 164 fires and on 10 July over 130 fires were burning.The Government estimated that 3,500,000 ha (8,600,000 acres) of forest had been burnt. It costed more than $44.37 million USD to control the fire.
#3. 2019 Siberia wildfires
The 2019 Siberian wildfires began in July 2019 in areas of northern Krasnoyarsk Krai, Sakha Republic and Zabaykalsky Krai, all in Siberia, Russia. By the end of the month, the size of the fires reached 2,600,000 hectares (6,400,000 acres). Fortunately, there were no reports of deaths or injuries due to the fires.
#2. 2019-2020 Australian bush fire season
The 2019–20 Australian bushfire season, colloquially known as the Black Summer, where the whole world saw the horrors the Australia faced.
As of 9 March 2020, the fires burnt an estimated 18.6 million hectares destroyed over 5,900 buildings (including 2,779 homes) and killed at least 34 people. Along with this, an estimated one billion animals were killed. Conversely, some endangered species maybe driven to extinction. Above all, air quality dropped to hazardous levels. The cost of dealing with bush fires exceeds A$4.4 billion.
#1. 2003 Russian wildfires
The Russian wildfires of 2003 were the most dreadful wild fire of the century. The land burned were more than 200,000 km2 (77,000 sq mi). This fire primarily took place at Boreal forest from 14 March-8 August. Following, direct carbon emissions were around 400-640 TgC.