BBC Climate and Data Team
Planetary labsThe UK area burnt by wildfire so far this year is already more than total for any year in more than a decade, suggesting satellite data.
According to data from the Global Wildfire Information System, 29,200 hectares (292 sq km or 113 sq mi) have been burnt so far, which has recorded the burnt area since 2012.
This is more than the previous high of 28,100 hectares for the entire year of 2019.
According to the researchers, long, sunshine season helped create an ideal situation for widespread burns in March and early April.
Wildfires are very common in the early spring in the UK, with lots of dead or dormant vegetation at the end of the winter that can dry quickly.
To return switch Wet position in the last few weeks The magic of the fire is over large scale now, but not before reaching the record level.
Global wildfire information systems figures hold large fire only from 30 hectares (0.3 sq km).
More than 80 such fire has been detected in the UK from the beginning of the year.
Most fire is initiated by humans intentionally or accidentally, but favorable weather conditions can make the fire very easy to set fire and spread quickly.
“We had an extraordinary drought and sunshine march,” said Wil Lang, the head of the Risk and flexibility in the Will of Office.
“It follows a quite wet autumn and winter, which can have an effect of increasing vegetation that acts as a fuel for any fire that begins.”
Lack of rainfall in March and April may be particularly favorable for fire.
“The vegetation is coming out of winter and dormant, so it is not growing, so it is very dry and does not have water.”
“Then in the spring, before you start collecting water into living tissue, there is a period where it is very flammable.”
More than 18,000 hectares (180 sq km) was burnt in seven days of April 2 to 8, the most weekly figure on the record.
The BBC has also analyzed satellite images to portray two of the largest burn of this year.
In Gallow Forest ParkIn southwest Scotland, an estimated 65 sq km burnt, about a quarter of the UK clan.
A fire in CWM Redol Area Wales also burnt a large area of about 50 sq km from a distance of about 25 km (16 mi) from Abbritith.
The fire has also been detected by the Isle of Arn, the Isle of Bute and the Satellite Imagery at the Isle of Scotland, as well as in the Morne Mountains in Southeast Northern Ireland. All took place in early April.
These early season Burns – mainly grass, heath and bush have caused great stress on fire services, but their ecological effects can be complicated.
All fire, especially short, low intensity irritation, are essentially prolonged vegetative health for health.
Some plants, such as Heather, are adapted to the fire-prone environment. But rapidly persistent or severe blazes can naturally spoil their ability to recover.
Some researchers are concerned about the second peak of the fire season, which usually comes later in the year when the temperature is high and the vegetation dries again.
“My number one concern is what is going to happen in summer,” Prof. Ren said, “When” there are low forest fire, but they are big and they can be really seriously disastrous “.
“You may have 100 (small) forest fire across the country and all of them can be handled over a day, or you may have a summer forest fire that cannot actually be stopped in a week and actually goes to burn homes.”
Recently widespread burning does not mean that this heat will be a busy fire season.
But scientists hope that the increase in weather conditions in the UK will be seen, which is favorable for extreme wildfire in a warm world, even though the year -tears are very different.
A Study under the leadership of the meteorological office It was found that the extreme “fire weather” which helps spread the destructive blazes of July 2022 is at least six times more likely by human-causing climate change.
The way the land is used, it can also play an important role in shaping the risk of fire.
Senior lecturer Rori Hayden said in a fire investigation at the University of Edinburgh, “One thing that is consensus is that we are likely to see more fire and there is possibly likely to fire with climate change.”
“We need to be ready to become more normal for this.”
Additional Reporting by Phil Leak
