Wildfires in regions across North and South America released more emissions in July than any other July in recorded history — specifically in Alberta, California, Bolivia, and the the tropical forest zone of the Amazon River basin — according to the European Union’s Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS).
“CAMS estimates emissions from wildfires and vegetation fires around the world based on satellite observations of fire radiative power in its Global Fire Assimilation System (GFAS), combining FRP observations from different satellite sensors to estimate a number of emissions related to wildfires,” according to the Service.
Alberta’s total estimated carbon emissions in July are the highest of any July in the CAMS Global Fire Assimilation System dataset, which has recorded emissions for the past 21 years. Canada as a whole recorded increased emissions through July and is approaching the highest annual totals estimated for any year before 2023, which had by far the highest emissions ever recorded in the country. Fire intensity s in British Columbia and Saskatchewan has also increased throughout July, while more wildfires developed in the Yukon and Northwest Territories in mid-July.
California’s Park Fire, the state’s fourth-largest wildfire on record, made July the most emissions-heavy July on CAMS’ record. Oregon’s emissions are near the highest of July totals after fires burned nearly 500,000 hectares (1,235,527 acres) across the state, which local officials say is four times the seasonal average. Notable fires and emissions in Alaska persisted through late June and early July, but have since greatly reduced. CAMS has also recorded increased wildfire emissions in Washington, Montana, and Colorado.
Wildfires in South America increased in both intensity and frequency through the second half of July. Amazonas’ total estimated emissions in July were much higher than any other recorded year — three times higher than in 2023 and 2022. The neighboring state of Rondonia also recorded the highest in the CAMS dataset.
South America’s highest wildfire activity was in Bolivia and areas of the Brazilian Amazon. Bolivian government officials said a record 11,576 active fires burned in the region on July 24, with 165,999 fires detected since the start of July. Brazilian authorities also estimated this was the worst July in two decades with more than 22,000 active wildfires. Wildfire increases occurred around two weeks earlier than usual during fire season in the region, which historically has peaked in August and September.
Brazil’s above-average emissions are caused in part by wildfires burning across the Pantanal wetlands. The world’s largest tropical wetland and biodiversity haven has marked record-breaking wildfires this year, just four years after similar fires burned 13,300 acres of the preserve.
READ MORE: World’s largest tropical wetland burned this year
