From 2001 to 2021, approximately 25 million hectares of forests worldwide have been ravaged by wildfires, an area roughly the size of Great Britain. This devastating statistic comes from a recent study conducted by British and Australian scientists in the national parks of Kimberley and Australia, with their findings published in the esteemed scientific journal, Nature Geoscience (NatGeo).

The report reveals a disturbing trend of increasing annual forest fires in the past decade, with countries such as Brazil, Australia, Canada, the United States, and Siberia in Russia bearing the brunt of these destructive blazes.

Researchers identify one of the main factors contributing to the heightened susceptibility of forest fires in mountainous regions: the accumulation of highly flammable vegetation. This stark reality is particularly evident in the eastern parts of Australia, where densely populated mountainous areas are significantly more prone to fires compared to deforested regions.

Furthermore, the study underscores the connection between forest fires and the abundance of combustible materials such as vegetation and paper, which can worsen the situation. Shockingly, only 3% of the total forest area is inhabited by mountain species, exacerbating the vulnerability to fires.

An essential step in safeguarding forest resources and swiftly detecting fires lies in the adoption of new technologies. Thermal imaging, for instance, can facilitate rapid fire detection and alerting, thus aiding in the prevention of fire incidents triggered by lightning strikes.

The introduction of innovative technologies, along with better management and monitoring of plantations, will have far-reaching implications. Not only will these measures protect forests, but they will also help maintain the delicate ecological balance and mitigate the adverse impacts of forest fires, as highlighted in the report.

Source: News from Armenia – NEWS.am