Copernicus certifies forest fires last spring in Europe and elsewhere

Madrid, July 3 (EFE).- Forest fires in northwestern Europe reached their peak activity in early April, with "particular intensity" in the United Kingdom, where fire emissions were the second highest since 2003, according to the latest data from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS).

The CAMS bulletin, which highlights some of the significant atmospheric events during the northern spring (March, April, and May) of 2025, compiles data from the Global Fire Assimilation System (GFAS) with satellite observations and shows smoke plumes from wildfires affecting western Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

It also highlights the "unprecedented levels for this time of year" in the Netherlands, as well as the major forest fires in May in eastern Russia, in the Far Eastern Federal District of that country, with the most serious incidents in the Republic of Buryatia and Zabaykalsky Krai (east of Lake Baikal), as well as in the Sakha Republic, even within the Arctic Circle.

By the end of May, Russia's Federal Forestry Agency had reported up to 104 active forest fires across an area of ​​nearly 1,100,000 hectares, with significant smoke plumes reaching northeastern China and northern Japan.

Pollen in Europe

In addition to pollutant emissions from fires, CAMS observed a seasonal increase in the release and transport of grass and olive pollen in southern Europe at the end of May, while birch pollen reached "extreme levels" in the northeast, particularly in Finland.

Copernicus's forecasts, in collaboration with the EU's TRIGGER project, reflected "the severity of the pollen event," with pollen concentrations exceeding 800 grains/m³ in western Scandinavia.

CAMS Director Laurence Rouil has clarified that extremely high pollen levels "are not unusual during spring," but the severity and extent of this year's event demonstrates "the crucial importance of continuous atmospheric monitoring," which provides "essential information to minimize the impact on health, especially in vulnerable populations."

Fires also in Canada

Copernicus also includes in its bulletin the record of fires occurring at the same time in Canada, in the provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan, which produced large plumes of smoke and pyrocumulonimbus activity on the other side of the Atlantic.

These clouds form when a wildfire burns with exceptional heat and intensity, generating enough heat energy to propel smoke, ash, and moisture into the atmosphere, from where powerful jet streams can carry the smoke long distances.

Smoke plumes from these wildfires and their associated emissions forced the evacuation of more than 25,000 people from their homes, affecting air quality in Canada and parts of the United States.

Furthermore, the European service certified that the emissions crossed the North Atlantic and reached Europe initially between May 18 and 19, affecting the Iberian Peninsula and the Mediterranean region as far south as Greece, and then, on June 1, the northwest of the continent.

Air quality in Asia

CAMS has also provided information on "persistent pollution" in South Asia, with high levels of PM2.5 particles affecting major cities such as New Delhi (India), Kathmandu (Nepal), and Islamabad (Pakistan).

Atmospheric conditions, coupled with anthropogenic emissions from agricultural fires, among other causes, caused pollution to be "further trapped by the Himalayan topography," making the region "particularly prone to prolonged poor air quality."

The start of the fire season in Southeast Asian countries in April contributed to heightened concerns about deteriorating air quality, with "notable impacts" in Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam.