Biophysical feedback of global forest fires on surface temperature

Area of Science:

• Earth Science
• Climate Science
• Forestry

Background:

• Biophysical feedbacks of forest fires on Earth's radiative budget are not well understood globally.
• Forest fires contribute significantly to global forest loss, particularly in northern high latitudes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify the impact of forest fires on the Earth's surface radiative budget.
• To investigate the temporal and spatial variations of these fire-induced climate feedbacks.

Main Methods:

• Utilized satellite observations to analyze fire-induced forest loss and its effects.
• Assessed changes in surface temperature, evapotranspiration, and albedo following forest fires.

Main Results:

• Forest fires account for approximately 15% of global forest loss, concentrated in high northern latitudes.
• Globally, fires increase surface temperature by 0.15 K one year post-fire.
• High-latitude fires initially cause warming (due to reduced evapotranspiration) for ~5 years, followed by long-term cooling (due to increased albedo).
• Tropical fires result in a weaker, long-term warming effect from reduced evaporative cooling.
• Post-fire warming effects are substantial, equivalent to 62% of warming from CO2 emissions.

Conclusions:

• Changes in fire severity and frequency can significantly impact Earth's radiative budget and climate, particularly in high latitudes.
• The study highlights the complex, non-linear climate effects of forest fires, with varying impacts across different regions and timescales.