Arctic wildfires in June equivalent to Sweden’s annual emissions: U.N.

Arctic wildfires, some the size of 100,000 soccer pitches, emitted as much carbon dioxide last month as the country of Sweden does in a whole year, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on July 12. Wildfires are common in the northern hemisphere between May and October, but this year the fires have been at an unusual latitude and intensity, WMO spokeswoman Clare Nullis told a regular U.N. briefing in Geneva.

• Russia to probe if forest fires in Siberia were set deliberately
• ‘Unprecedented’ wildfires in the Arctic emitted as much CO2 in June as Sweden does in a year