Alaska has a huge amount of carbon in its forests and in the muskeg and peat on forest floors. Five million acres burned in 2015 is a huge amount.

Average temperature in Alaska is rising faster than in the temperate regions.

http://www.climatecentral.org/news/alaska-wildfires-worsening-global-warming-20411


Quote:

Spike in Alaska Wildfires is Worsening Global Warming The devastating rise in Alaska’s wildfires is making global warming even worse than scientists expected, U.S. government researchers said. The sharp spike in Alaska’s wildfires, where more than 5 million acres burned last year, are destroying a main buffer against climate change: the carbon-rich boreal forests, tundra and permafrost that have served as an enormous carbon sink. Northern wildfires must now be recognized as a significant driver of climate change – and not just a side-effect, according to the report from the U.S. Geological Survey. “This is one of the surprises that we haven’t talked about much,” said Virginia Burkett, chief climate scientist at the USGS. “It has tremendous implications for the carbon that is locked up in Alaska soils and vegetation.” A record wildfire year – such as 2015 which was the worst in Alaska for a decade – had a measurable effect on the release of carbon dioxide and methane, which are the main drivers of climate change. “Our scientists found that the balance of carbon storage versus release in Alaska was strongly linked with wildfires,” Burkett said. “In years where there was high wildfire activity the net carbon balance declined dramatically, and then it would rebuild in the absence of fire.” Alaska is a far bigger storehouse for carbon than the lower 48 states, according to the USGS. The state’s boreal forests, peat-rich tundra, and permafrost hold about 53 percent of U.S. carbon. Alaska accounts for about 18 percent of US land mass. Alaska currently absorbs about 3.7m tonnes of carbon a year, the USGS assessment found. But that vast storehouse of carbon has been breached by warming temperatures, thawing permafrost – and wildfire. The USGS warned last year that Alaska could lose about a quarter of its permafrost by 2100, accelerating climate change. In an average year, Alaska wildfires devour twice the area burned by wildfires in all of the lower 48 – and emit more greenhouse gases than all of those other wildfires combined, the USGS said. Such fires across the northern U.S. and Canada – which last month forced the evacuation of 80,000 from the Alberta tar sands town of Fort McMurray – were projected to increase over the coming decades as the climate continues to warm. When it comes to wildfires, there is a triple effect on warming. Carbon stored in trees as well as the upper layers of soil is released back into the atmosphere during a fire. The burn also exposes the carbon-rich permafrost beneath, making it thaw more easily. The northern U.S. and Canada have already experienced a sharp rise in wildfires over the last few decades, with more to come. Researchers predict a fourfold increase in northern wildfires because of warming and changes in rainfall, extending even to areas above the treeline. The Arctic smashed through earlier heat records over this last winter – with temperatures at the North Pole hovering above zero degrees Celsius at the end of last year. There were also shortages of snow, with organizers of the legendary Iditarod resorting to importing truckloads of white stuff for the start of the dog sled race. The hotter and drier conditions were a recipe for more wildfires – with lightning strikes igniting more easily in drier soils and vegetation, and higher temperatures spreading the flames. If average July temperatures top 13.4°C (56.1°F), there could be a big jump in wildfires in tundra regions such as Alaska’s North Slope and the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta that were once too damp and cold to burn, the researchers found.

Laugh till you cry wrote on Jun 6^th, 2016 at 10:16am:

The northern U.S. and Canada have already experienced a sharp rise in wildfires over the last few decades, with more to come.

'A new analysis of global data related to wildfire, published by the Royal Society, reveals major misconceptions about wildfire and its social and economic impacts.

Prof. Stefan Doerr and Dr Cristina Santin from Swansea University’s College of Science carried out a detailed analysis of global and regional data on fire occurrence, severity and its impacts on society.'

'In contrast to what is widely portrayed in the literature and media reports, they found that:

    global area burned has seen an overall slight decline over past decades, despite some notable regional increases. Currently, around 4% of the global land surface is affected by vegetation fires each year;
    there is increasing evidence that there is less fire in the global landscape today than centuries ago;
    direct fatalities from fire and economic losses also show no clear trends over the past three decades'

http://www.swansea.ac.uk/media-centre/latest-research/wildfiremisconceptionsabouttrendsandimpactsrevealedinnewresearch.php

Published 24 May 2016. I guess they haven't caught up with the news.

I give the forest in this state alone to mid-July before they start a-blazing. NOAA is predicting a "severe dry season" starting in mid July lasting well into next year.

Marla wrote on Jun 6^th, 2016 at 11:53am:

I give the forest in this state alone to mid-July before they start a-blazing. NOAA is predicting a "severe dry season" starting in mid July lasting well into next year.

And all because of global warming. ;D ;D ;D ;D

More like passing thunderstorms with "dry lightning." I say pretty much the mid to northwest US will be burning bright by summer's end.

lee wrote on Jun 6^th, 2016 at 11:48am:

Quote: global area burned has seen an overall slight decline over past decades ... because there are fewer trees every year due to deforestation and urban creep.     [quote]there is increasing evidence that there is less fire in the global landscape today than centuries ago;

because there are less trees than there were.


Quote:

I guess they haven't caught up with the news.

I forgive them.[/quote]

Laugh till you cry wrote on Jun 6^th, 2016 at 12:24pm:

lee wrote on Jun 6th, 2016 at 11:48am:     Quote: global area burned has seen an overall slight decline over past decades ... because there are fewer trees every year due to deforestation and urban creep.     [quote]there is increasing evidence that there is less fire in the global landscape today than centuries ago; because there are less trees than there were. [quote]I guess they haven't caught up with the news.

I forgive them.[/quote]
[/quote]


You really need to do more research 1.7 million square kilometres and a population of 780,000. Not much urban creep.


Your "study"\-


Laugh till you cry wrote on Jun 6^th, 2016 at 10:16am:

Alaska currently absorbs about 3.7m tonnes of carbon a year, the USGS assessment found. But that vast storehouse of carbon has been breached by warming temperatures, thawing permafrost – and wildfire.

But there are stumps of trees 100km north of the current tree line, which strongly suggests it was much warmer in the past. And no I don't think they cleared that much forest. ;)

Laugh till you cry wrote on Jun 6^th, 2016 at 12:24pm:

Quote: global area burned has seen an overall slight decline over past decades ...

lee wrote on Jun 6^th, 2016 at 12:42pm:

You really need to do more research 1.7 million square kilometres and a population of 780,000. Not much urban creep.

Nice try at obfuscation and diversion Mr. lee. My statement referred to "global area" not Alaskan area.

Laugh till you cry wrote on Jun 6^th, 2016 at 1:26pm:

Laugh till you cry wrote on Jun 6th, 2016 at 12:24pm: Quote: global area burned has seen an overall slight decline over past decades ... lee wrote on Jun 6th, 2016 at 12:42pm: You really need to do more research 1.7 million square kilometres and a population of 780,000. Not much urban creep. Nice try at obfuscation and diversion Mr. lee. My statement referred to "global area" not Alaskan area.

Strange, but the "global area burned has seen an overall slight decline over past decades" is a direct quote from my post, not yours.

lee wrote on Jun 6^th, 2016 at 1:48pm:

Laugh till you cry wrote on Jun 6th, 2016 at 1:26pm: Laugh till you cry wrote on Jun 6th, 2016 at 12:24pm: Quote: global area burned has seen an overall slight decline over past decades ... lee wrote on Jun 6th, 2016 at 12:42pm: You really need to do more research 1.7 million square kilometres and a population of 780,000. Not much urban creep. Nice try at obfuscation and diversion Mr. lee. My statement referred to "global area" not Alaskan area. Strange, but the "global area burned has seen an overall slight decline over past decades" is a direct quote from my post, not yours.

Obfuscation, thy name is lee.

Laugh till you cry wrote on Jun 6^th, 2016 at 1:56pm:

Obfuscation, thy name is lee.

Never let the truth get in the way of a story, do you?

lee wrote on Jun 6^th, 2016 at 2:10pm:

Laugh till you cry wrote on Jun 6th, 2016 at 1:56pm: Obfuscation, thy name is lee. Never let the truth get in the way of a story, do you?

Truth and denizen lee's stories are incompatible.

Laugh till you cry wrote on Jun 6^th, 2016 at 2:16pm:

Truth and denizen lee's stories are incompatible.

Can't even admit when you are wrong. So Sad. :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

Laugh, do you have to start a new thread every time there is a flood, fire or weather event? Read Dorothy Mckellars poem "I love a sunburnt country". There have always been floods, fires, and weather events. Starting a new thread every time one of these events occurs really doesn't prove anything.

Laughing boy is just a sad attention seeker, the weather is just the excuse he needs.

Mistress Nicole wrote on Jun 6^th, 2016 at 3:07pm:

Laugh, do you have to start a new thread every time there is a flood, fire or weather event? Read Dorothy Mckellars poem "I love a sunburnt country". There have always been floods, fires, and weather events. Starting a new thread every time one of these events occurs really doesn't prove anything.

Its bait for bloated, obese, trout-mouthed, blatherers like Nicole Page. Nicole always goes for the bait.

Laugh till you cry wrote on Jun 6^th, 2016 at 3:47pm:

Mistress Nicole wrote on Jun 6th, 2016 at 3:07pm: Laugh, do you have to start a new thread every time there is a flood, fire or weather event? Read Dorothy Mckellars poem "I love a sunburnt country". There have always been floods, fires, and weather events. Starting a new thread every time one of these events occurs really doesn't prove anything. Its bait for bloated, obese, trout-mouthed, blatherers like Nicole Page. Nicole always goes for the bait.

So your threads are mere bait?  I'll keep that in mind. It's a bit like your bait on "closet poms" and when I kicked your arse on abos - you were derogatory on
policies towards ATSIs, without actually knowing the history of government policies- you scuttled like a cockroach under a sink.
I'll bare in mind you are a bait poster  - thanks for the needless heads up.

What are your thoughts on capitalism, population, and unfettered economic growth? Please do not copy paste an article on the weather in response.

Mistress Nicole wrote on Jun 6^th, 2016 at 4:05pm:

Laugh till you cry wrote on Jun 6th, 2016 at 3:47pm: Mistress Nicole wrote on Jun 6th, 2016 at 3:07pm: Laugh, do you have to start a new thread every time there is a flood, fire or weather event? Read Dorothy Mckellars poem "I love a sunburnt country". There have always been floods, fires, and weather events. Starting a new thread every time one of these events occurs really doesn't prove anything. Its bait for bloated, obese, trout-mouthed, blatherers like Nicole Page. Nicole always goes for the bait. So your threads are mere bait?  I'll keep that in mind. It's a bit like your bait on "closet poms" and when I kicked your arse on abos - you were derogatory on policies towards ATSIs, without actually knowing the history of government policies- you scuttled like a cockroach under a sink. I'll bare in mind you are a bait poster  - thanks for the needless heads up. What are your thoughts on capitalism, population, and unfettered economic growth? Please do not copy paste an article on the weather in response.

You seem to have the belief that I have an obligation to do your research. You behave like an anally constricted school mistress issuing commands.

Your blather is mostly proprietary government propaganda with no sense of purpose other than deception, obfuscation and the clouding of issues with racist blather.

You keep overlooking the issue that the Aboriginal problem is caused by two centuries of mistreatment and exclusion from closet pom society.

Laugh till you cry wrote on Jun 6^th, 2016 at 4:25pm:

You keep overlooking the issue that the Aboriginal problem is caused by two centuries of mistreatment and exclusion from closet pom society.

That was caused by global warming. ;)

lee wrote on Jun 6^th, 2016 at 5:10pm:

Laugh till you cry wrote on Jun 6th, 2016 at 4:25pm: You keep overlooking the issue that the Aboriginal problem is caused by two centuries of mistreatment and exclusion from closet pom society. That was caused by global warming. ;)

Isn't everything?  ;D

lee wrote on Jun 6^th, 2016 at 5:10pm:

That was caused by global warming.

Lee is misdirecting and obfuscating again. It was Nicole Page who raised the issue of ATSI as shown below:


Mistress Nicole wrote on Jun 6^th, 2016 at 4:05pm:

... I kicked your arse on abos - you were derogatory on policies towards ATSIs ...

I hooked a tiddler. :D :D :D