Study finds soil, not trees, drove most emissions from Canada's 2023 wildfires
Researchers examining the record-breaking 2023 wildfire season say underground organic matter released more planet-warming gas than the burning trees above it.
Why it matters
Understanding that soil, not just trees, drives wildfire emissions could reshape how Alberta and other provinces plan forest and carbon management.
A new study examining the emissions from Canada's record-breaking 2023 wildfire season has found that most of the planet-warming gases released did not come from burning trees, but from soil and organic matter beneath the forest floor.
The finding suggests that the carbon stored underground in peat, roots and decomposing plant material played a larger role in the fires' overall emissions than the visible destruction of tree cover.
The 2023 wildfire season was the most severe on record in Canada, burning millions of hectares of forest and sending smoke across much of North America.
The study's authors say understanding where wildfire emissions actually originate could help refine how future fire seasons are measured and managed.
Compiled by the Alberta Daily Desk — an AI-written summary of reporting from the credited sources below, produced and reviewed under our editorial policy.