Zombie Fire

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Context

• Instances of zombie fires are rising in north and the Arctic due to increase in temperature.
• In U.S. and Canada, Widespread thick layers of smoke due to these wildfires lead to orange sky, air pollution and related health problems.
• The scenario is providing a peak into a dry and a bleak future.

Zombie fires

• Wildfires not only affect trees and grasses but move into the ground also.
• Zombie fires refer to such underground fires which are present underground, sustain a season and reignite when there is an increase in temperature.
• For instance in carbon-rich peatlands of Canada, fire smoulders dozens of feet underground.
• It is a fire left from a previous growing season.

Affected Area of Arctic peat –

• If we consider previous 40 years, last 8 years contributed to 70% cases of such fires.
• The 30% contribution comes from year 2020 alone.

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Concerns/Implications of frequent Zombie fires

• Drying of organic-rich Arctic soils – it leads to burning and releasing enormous amounts of smoke into the atmosphere.
• Underground fires are quite hard to tame even for firefighters and are dangerous.
• Hence damage inflicted is more and the resources required to extinguish fires are more.
• Zombie fires may result into ground instability, hence it becomes risky to use heavy equipment for fire extinguishing there.
• Such fires have a long life.
  • For instance, Arctic soil fires sustain winters and during early spring can reignite with the rise in temperature.

Warming of Arctic

• The main reason for warming arctic and frequent instances of zombie fires is rising temperatures in arctic.
• Compare to the rest of the world it is warming nearly four times faste It is known as Arctic amplification.
• In the arctic region a 2 degree C (3.6 F) increase in temperature is seen compared with pre-industrial times.

Implications

• Taiga and Tundra forests become more susceptible to such burning.
• Dead plant material in peat soil rich burn at a faster pace.
• Insulating layer of permafrost, frozen carbon-rich soil of arctic, is removed.
• Such wildfires lead to many health complications and put people's health at risk.

Way Ahead/Hope for Future

• Understanding the full extent and potential of zombie fires in Arctic region.
• Some studies suggest that underground fires were most prevalent in tree roots than in soil hence low carbon emissions.
• More Firefighters should be trained accordingly to deal effectively with such instances.
• Best practices to fight zombie fires are to be implemented and awareness to be be generated in public.
• More focus and immediate actions to curb human-induced climate change, temperature to be more specific.

Must Read Article:

Zombie fires

https://www.iasgyan.in/blogs/zombie-fires

https://www.downtoearth.org.in/blog/climate-change/-zombie-fires-in-the-arctic-canada-s-extreme-wildfire-season-offers-a-glimpse-of-new-risks-in-a-warmer-drier-future-90711