Wildfires are increasingly destroying forests
Severe wildfires have destroyed timber forests covering an area equivalent to the size of the UK's national territory from 2001 to 2021, a new study by Australian and British scientists has found.
According to The Conversation, the number of forests used for timber production burnt down by severe wildfires has increased each year over the past decade. Brazil, Canada, the western United States, Siberia and Australia have borne the brunt of this disturbing trend.
The team combined maps of severe wildfires and logging activity to calculate how much forest used for timber has been destroyed by wildfires this century. Scientists say as many as 61.8 million acres have been severely burned.
Fire extent has increased dramatically over the past decade, tripling on average since 2015.
Canada, the United States and Russia have "absolutely" lost the most forests to wildfires for timber production, but Portugal and Australia have lost the largest proportion of their total forest land.
