Alaska is burning more than ever

Scientists have shown that fires in the far North are becoming bigger, hotter and more frequent. With the number of trees burning, older conifers are losing ground to younger deciduous trees, altering whole ecosystems. Also, the torched trees are releasing carbon, along with soils rich in dead plant matter that are burning more deeply than in the past. The fires are reducing older-growth forest in favor of young vegetation, and pouring more carbon into the atmosphere at a time when carbon dioxide concentrations are setting new records.