Russia's Forest Wildfires and Deforestation: A Growing Environmental Challenge

Russia's Forest Wildfires and Deforestation: A Growing Environmental Challenge

Russia has faced significant environmental challenges due to forest wildfires and deforestation, with recent data indicating a single fire incident in the Sakha Republic. The country, with an area of over 1.68 billion hectares, has a substantial tree cover of approximately 761 million hectares. However, over the years, the nation has experienced a considerable loss in tree cover, primarily due to wildfires and forestry activities.

Analysis of historical data reveals that wildfires have been a major driver of tree cover loss, with millions of hectares affected annually. For instance, in 2022, wildfires accounted for over 3.13 million hectares of the total 4.28 million hectares of tree cover loss. Forestry activities have also contributed significantly to the loss, with over 1.13 million hectares lost in the same year.