Forest fires in the vast landscapes of Lapland will be more frequent by the end of the century due to climate change.
Summer in Finnish Lapland is on its way break heat recordsaccording to experts, after a season marked by wildfires in the far north.
According to the Finnish Meteorological Institute, in July there were unusually high temperatures across the countrybut the heat was especially pronounced in northern Finland. The average monthly temperature in the north of the country was between 15.5 and 18ºC, between 2 and 3.4 degrees above the average temperature.
Mika Rantanen, researcher at the Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI)told the Finnish news site YLE News that Lapland is on track to experience the warmest summer in its history.
“At the moment it seems that this will be the case, unless there is an outbreak of cold air in the last days of the month. If this happens, it will be one more sign of our increasingly warm climate and will show that we have already historic summer weather in Lapland surpassed“Rantanen said.
The number of hot days – defined by the IMF as days in which the daily temperature exceeds 25ºC– reached 20 in July, four days above the monthly average.
Kevo, a nature reserve in the northernmost municipality of Utsjoki, recorded the highest number of hot days14. The IMF adds that the number of hot days has been unusual or exceptionally high in northeastern Lapland.
Increased risk of forest fires in Lapland
The increase in temperatures, caused by climate changeis related to a increased risk of forest fires.
In the Inari region of Finnish Lapland, local people and wildlife have suffered 17 fires this summer to date. Timo Nyholm, fire chief of the Lapland Rescue Department, has stated that this figure far exceeds the seasonal average of 10 fires. He expects the summer total to exceed 20 fires.
Warmer temperatures make plants dry more and stimulate their growthwhich means there is more fuel for fires to burn.
“Climate change is extending fire season“, IMF investigator Outi Kinnunen told YLE News.
“As the climate warms, the snow cover decreases earliersummer temperatures increase and land surfaces become drier, although total precipitation is expected to increase.”
His research indicates that the number and magnitude of annual fires in Finland are likely to increase by the end of the century.
Therefore, it is essential combat emissions. But since many forest fires start as bonfires – a staple of lake fishing, berry picking and hunting activities – people should also be more careful.
Given the remoteness of Lapland, Fires usually last a long time before firefighters arrive.
