Experts fear severe consequences for permafrost soil

Yakutsk. In view of the devastating forest fires in Russia, experts expect long-term consequences for the permafrost soil. “There are no big changes in the first year. They can usually be expected in two to five years, ”said the scientist Alexander Fyodorow from the Institute for Permafrost in the Siberian city of Yakutsk of the German Press Agency. Much now depends on the growth of new, adaptable plants and undergrowth. Forest protects the frozen ground from thawing.

Fires in Siberia could accelerate thawing processes

The republic of Yakutia in eastern Siberia is hardest hit by the forest fires in Russia. According to the authorities for protection, there is currently a fire there on an area totaling around 4.4 million hectares. This corresponds roughly to the area of ​​Lower Saxony. Almost 5,000 emergency services are reportedly fighting the flames.

“We are concerned about the extent of the fires,” said the permafrost expert. If the fires fell during a period of strong global warming, then this would increase concerns about the state of the ground, which was previously frozen in great depths. According to Fyodorov, one consequence of thawing processes is the sagging of the soil. This can damage streets and houses, for example.

The condition of the permafrost remains under observation

A general statement on the consequences cannot be made, however, because factors such as the degree of icing and the content of organic material have an influence on it. “We continue to monitor the effects of the forest fires on the state of the permafrost soil,” said the Deputy Director of the Permafrost Institute.

In Russia, almost two thirds of the land is currently frozen permanently. This phenomenon is called permafrost. With rising temperatures in the wake of climate change, the soil is slowly thawing. Researchers worry that as a result, gigantic amounts of climate-damaging methane could find their way into the atmosphere.

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