African Wildfires: 'Everlasting' Blaze in the Continent Caused by Aerosol Feedback Loop [Study]

African wildfires have been persisting in the continent of Africa for thousands of years, threatening wildlife and their natural habitats. Wildland fires, including forest fires and bush fire, occur in different parts of the world, particularly in the tropics and subtropics regions.

However, recurring ignitions are relatively rare and this kind of phenomenon has baffled scientists for a long time.

Recently, a study found that the "everlasting" blaze in Africa is being caused by a positive aerosol feedback loop as part of the continent's regional climate. This means a self-sustaining natural process is behind the African wildfire loop.

Although wildfires can be triggered by both natural and human factors, scientists did not indicate significant anthropogenic impacts as a fundamental factor to the loop.

African Wildfires

Outside mainland North America, South America, and Europe, where wildfires are relatively common throughout the year and are prevalent during the summer months, another part of the world is also suffering from the same natural disaster: Africa.

In 2023 alone, the North African country of Algeria experienced massive wildfires across the region, resulting in the deaths of dozens of people and the mobilization of thousands of firefighters.

The scorching fires started in July last year, the month when meteorologists recorded the warmest ever on record.

To reveal the complete magnitude of wildland fires in the continent, an international team of scientists from Spain and the Netherlands examined African wildfires in a study published in the journal PNAS in February 2021. They found that wildfire-burnt areas comparable to the size of Europe in Africa are emitting greenhouse gases and aerosols.

Aerosol Feedback Loop

In a more recent study published in the journal iScience on November 2023, researchers from the United States discovered that a positive aerosol feedback loop (as mentioned earlier) is responsible for the everlasting African wildfires.

The said continental blaze covers over 50% of the area of Africa that has been burning, on average, and with no signs of stopping it, according to the 2023 research paper, which revealed that the wildfire is feeding itself without any significant human intervention.

The researchers involved in the study explain that large quantities of aerosols emitted by wildfires can affect the regional climate. On the other hand, regional climate is a strong regulator of wildfire occurrences and one of the reasons is the drying of fuel load increases fires, according to the study.

This process is what makes the aerosol feedback loop possible, in addition to known natural triggers of wildfires like fire weather conditions. Combined with the impact of aerosols, which are fine solid particles or liquid droplets suspended in the air. They can also be natural or anthropogenic.

For instance, aerosols can take the form of mineral dust, sea spray, smoke, and volcanic ash, according to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).