Canadian Wildfires Emitted More Carbon Than Annual Fossil Fuel Use in India

2023 fires burned an area larger than West Virginia, contributing significantly to climate change and air quality issues.

The wildfires released 3.28 billion tons of carbon dioxide, equivalent to emissions from 647 million cars.
Forest loss from the fires accounted for 27% of global tree cover loss in 2023.
Air quality in major cities, including New York, was severely affected by the smoke.
Over 200 communities and 232,000 residents were evacuated due to the fires.
Experts attribute the severity of the fires to climate change and predict more frequent catastrophic fire seasons.