How Fire Is Silently Devouring Africa’s Green Heart?

How Fire Is Silently Devouring Africa’s Green Heart?

Changes in the Earth’s climate have resulted in cataclysmic natural disasters, from flooding to drought to superstorms. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), forests are integral to the carbon cycle. They help reduce the global impact of climate change.

Acting as carbon storage “banks,” forests help offset fossil fuel emissions. Have you ever wondered what happens to a tree when it burns? When forests are cleared for farming, they permanently release stored carbon. Excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere intensifies the greenhouse effect, driving up global temperatures.

It’s a vicious cycle further compounded by deforestation. However, a new threat poses a risk to wet forests – fire. And, Africa is in the firing line (no pun intended).

Drier Forests, Frequent Fires?

Experts have been aware for decades that tropical forests in West and Central Africa experience fires, reports Phys.org. Their research was limited as they theorized that fires in wet forests tend to be smaller than in dry woodlands and savannas.

Scientists took notice after a record number of wildfires in the Amazon rainforest. The “lungs of the planet” lost an area roughly the size of Germany and France combined.

A recent study in Geophysical Research Letters raised concerns, revealing that active fires in West and Central Africa’s tropical forests doubled over 18 years. The study predicts that the trend will likely continue based on current climate projections.

While scientists are battling to save Africa’s forests, traditional firefighting methods hinder their efforts.

The Legacy of AFFF Firefighting Foam

For decades firefighters used firefighting foam to put out wildfires. That is until various studies alerted the industry to the risks of using AFFF (Aqueous Film Forming Foam) firefighting foam in particular.

The firefighter foam lawsuit has seen a slew of claims against firefighting foam manufacturers. AFFF contains chemical compounds called PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). Also known as “forever chemicals,” PFAS remain in the environment indefinitely.

Prolonged AFFF exposure has been linked to thyroid cancer, kidney cancer, prostate cancer and kidney cancer. To date, TorHoerman Law says the AFFF firefighting foam lawsuit is ongoing with the total number of cases reaching 9,896.

Natural Firebreakers

The forest elephant is an elusive creature. Very rarely sighted, these gentle giants can be found in the rainforests of Central Africa.

For the first time, scientists understand the critically endangered animal that protects the rainforest from human-made fires.

Now that they know the importance elephants play in the delicate ecosystem, they are working to bring the forest elephant from the brink of extinction.

Citing data from NASA, New Line Magazine reports that the Congo Basin rainforest stores approximately 85 billion tons of CO2. This makes it Africa’s most effective carbon sink.

Forest elephants are frequent inhabitants of the Congo Basin. Following other elephants while searching for food, they trample vegetation in a consistent pattern, thus creating a trail through the forest. The repetitive method builds a path from one fruit tree to the next.

Over time, these trails become natural firebreaks, stopping wildfires from reaching the Congo Basin.

Tropical Forest Fires Long Overlooked

Lead researcher Michael Wimberly says the “Increasing Fire Activity in African Tropical Forests” study is the first comprehensive assessment of fire patterns in wet African forests.

Deforestation, driven by human activity, fragments forests and increases exposed edges where most fires occur, adds Wimberly. The forest edge, with its drier microclimate and more invasive species, is more prone to fire than the interior. Researchers also found a link between fires, high temperatures and vapor pressure deficit.

Measurable Solutions

The findings offer key insights into how climate change may affect Africa’s forest fire activity. In the meantime, conservation experts are exploring innovations and technologies to detect forest fires and collect data.

Solutions like satellite monitoring and drones could provide early warnings and help prevent damage. Land mapping, conservation, and access to climate financing can empower indigenous peoples to preserve forest biodiversity. It’s more beneficial to build long-term resilience instead of relying on short-term fixes.

The World Economic Forum (WEF) emphasizes the urgent need for Nature-based Solutions (NbS) to prevent deforestation, degradation, and fires while transitioning to a net-zero emissions economy.

While the Amazon is battling to prevent “savannization” due to climate change and land use policies, there’s still hope for Africa’s wet forests. By implementing proper evidence-based solutions, we can turn the tide on deforestation and climate change before they further affect Africa’s green heart.