, a Republican from Riverside, introduced this year would have required the state to count wildfire emissions in its efforts to reduce statewide greenhouse gases. But the bill didn’t get far: It was defeated in committee.
Last year, California wildfires sent an estimated 9 million metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, according to. That’s equivalent to the emissions of about 1.9 million cars in a year. When forests burn, carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are released into the air. It’s considered part of a natural cycle, with plants absorbing and then releasing the chemicals into the air over time. But experts say the increasing frequency of fires might beEmissions this year from Canada’s forests have shattered records, according to the European Union’s Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service.
In addition, wildfires emit methane, which is a much more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, according to aBecome a CalMatters member today to stay informed, bolster our nonpartisan news and expand knowledge across California.