In a new document published by the UN, it has put out a warning about the extremity of wildfires. Extreme wildfires could increase by up to 50 percent by 2100, a new UN study warns. The UN Environment Program’s assessment, released on Wednesday, reveals a heightened hazard in areas traditionally undisturbed by wildfires.
“By the end of the century, the probability of wildfire events similar to Australia’s 2019-2020 Black Summer or the huge Arctic fires in 2020 occurring in a given year is likely to increase by 31-57 percent,” it said. “Global wildfires will lead to spikes in unhealthy smoke pollution and other problems that governments are ill-prepared to confront,” it adds.
What is the reason for the increase in wildfires?
The report presents two reasons, specifically: climate change and land-use change. The United Nations said that the new examination implies that government spending on wildfires needs to come down. It urges, in particular, that investments be away from reaction and response and toward prevention and preparedness.
The U.N. said: “The publication calls on governments to adopt a new ‘Fire Ready Formula,’ with 2/3 of spending devoted to planning, prevention, preparedness, and recovery, with 1/3 left for a response. Currently, direct responses to wildfires typically receive over half of the related expenditures, while planning receives less than 1%. To prevent fires, authors call for a combination of data and science-based monitoring systems with indigenous knowledge and stronger regional and international cooperation,” it added.
What could be the possible consequences?
However, large wildfires can burn for days or weeks causing irreversible problems. This can cause respiratory and cardiac difficulties, especially in the old and young. According to a recent study published in The Lancet, wildfire smoke causes more than 30,000 deaths per year on average in 43 counties. Land-use changes can make the fires worse. Logging leaves behind debris that can easily burn and forests that are intentionally ignited to clear land for farming, the report said.
Major fires may be harming animals, bringing some vulnerable species dangerously near to extinction. About three billion mammals, reptiles, birds, and frogs were facing the consequences of Australia’s deadly 2019-20 bushfires. Even the Arctic, which was historically fire-free, has seen a major spike in blazes. It includes so-called “zombie fires,” which smolder underground all winter before re-igniting. The research, by 50 top experts, certainly urged for a rethinking of how to approach the problem.