Arctic regions are burning – and it should set alarm bells ringing

Aug 21, 2019

A volunteer tries to extinguish a forest fire in the village of Kato Souli, about 50 km (31 miles) northwest of Athens, August 23, 2009. A huge wildfire fanned by strong winds cut a swathe of destruction near Athens on Sunday, burning houses, razing large patches of forest and sending thousands fleeing their homes, authorities said. REUTERS/John Kolesidis (GREECE DISASTER IMAGES OF THE DAY) - GM1E58O0CSL01

This summer, over 600 wildfires have consumed more than 2.4 million acres of forest across Alaska. Image: REUTERS/John Kolesidis

Nancy Fresco

SNAP Coordinator, Research Faculty, University of Alaska Fairbanks

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Boreal forests stretch across the Northern Hemisphere from Alaska to Siberia. Image: Mark Baldwin-Smith/Wikimedia, CC BY-SA

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