Greenland is burning
By
Daniel de Vries
21 August 2017
Wildfires have raged for weeks in Greenland, the massive Arctic island known principally for its vast quantities of ice. The fires are unprecedented in size and duration, marking an ominous new stage in the warming of Greenland and the entire Arctic.
Scientists first observed signs of the current burning in late July, in an area of western Greenland about 150 kilometers from the second largest town, Sisimiut. That blaze and smaller ones nearer the coast have engulfed over 18 square kilometers to date. The latest satellite data indicate the fires continuing to burn as of August 16.
The burned-out area is on the border between the frigid, arid grasslands close to the border of the ice sheet, and typically wetter, coastal landscapes with mosses, shrubs and small trees. The fires appear to be fueled at least in part by peat, the partially decomposed plant material which takes thousands of years to form.
While the size of the current blaze is not remarkable on a global scale, scientists have never before seen anything like it on Greenland. Since 2000, satellite monitors have enabled researchers to detect remote wildfires on the island. As Stef Lhermitte of Delft University in the Netherlands wrote on Twitter, “wildfires have occurred in the past over Greenland but 2017 is exceptional in the number of active fire sections by MODIS,” referring to the thermal detection instrument used to assess the fires.
The immediate cause for the fires is unknown. Lightning, a campfire, or a stray cigarette can all provide the necessary spark. Pinpointing precisely how the blazes began can be very difficult, particularly in such remote areas. The unusually dry summer weather, however, contributed to the conditions for the fire to spread…