British Columbia Wildfires: A Problem Caused by & Contributing to Climate Change
Stephanie Piggin
Introduction
Wildfires are a naturally occurring phenomenon that can be caused by many natural occurrences but also human activities. The cause and effect are increasingly intertwined with climate change dynamics, necessitating a comprehensive understanding (Higuera, 2015). One crucial aspect to consider is the social cost of carbon (SCC), which measures the external cost of burning carbon and plays a significant role in quantifying the economic impact of wildfires exacerbated by climate change.
B.C. Wildfires & Carbon Emissions
During a wildfire, a lot of particles and gases go into the atmosphere. Wildfires occur in different types of forests, which contain different varieties of trees, foliage, grasses, soils, and other factors that impact what particles and gases are emitted into the atmosphere (Prichard et al., 2020). Carbon dioxide is the most abundant greenhouse gas emitted during a wildfire.
Wildfires are increasing in number, as well as hectares burned. In British Columbia (B.C.), “forest wildfires in recent years have emitted more CO2 than all fossil fuel burned by the population and industry in the province” (International Association of Fire and Rescue Services, 2023). For example, in 2017, “about 150 million tons of CO2” went into the atmosphere due to B.C. wildfires that year. In contrast, in 2017, greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel emissions were approximately 64 Mt CO2e. The CO2 emissions from forest fires are about 2.3 times more than those of transportation, industry and built environment.
SCC of the Wildfires
With such increases in wildfire volumes, we must consider the social cost of carbon being emitted. “The SCC measures the external cost of burning carbon, so pricing carbon at its full social cost (e.g., by imposing a carbon tax) requires an estimate of the SCC” (Pindyck, 2019). According to Pindyck (2019), “on average, the beliefs of climate scientists imply a much higher SCC (around $300 or more) than do the beliefs of economists (which imply a SCC of around $170).” According to climate scientists, the SCC of B.C. wildfires since 2017 has been USD 267 billion, with 2023 at USD 118 billion. In comparison, the Gross Domestic Product for B.C. in 2023 is estimated at CAD 300 billion. In the last seven years, the over 6 million hectares burned across the province have led to 849 megatons of CO2 emissions, almost double the emissions coming from economic activity. The economic impact of these wildfires is also vast. In B.C., CAD 115.4 million worth of property losses followed the forest fires of 2023 (Salas, 2023a). Table 1 summarises the economic impact of B.C. wildfires from 2017 to 2023.
Table 1: Wildfires in British Columbia, 2017–2023
| Skip Table 1 | |||||||
| Period | Number of Wildfires | Hectares Burned | CO2 Emitted From Wildfires (megatons) | Cost Economists (millions of USD) | Cost Climate Scientists (millions of USD) | Cost Conservative Estimation (millions of USD) | GHGs From Economic Activity (megatons) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 1,332 | 1,215,685 | 160 | 27,803 | 50,628 | 16,006 | 64 |
| 2018 | 2,080 | 1,355,271 | 178 | 30,995 | 56,441 | 17,844 | 66 |
| 2019 | 825 | 21,138 | 3 | 483 | 880 | 278 | 65 |
| 2020 | 649 | 15,000 | 2 | 343 | 625 | 197 | 61 |
| 2021 | 1,625 | 869,270 | 114 | 19,880 | 36,201 | 11,445 | 62 |
| 2022 | N/A | 134,900 | 18 | 3,085 | 5,618 | 1,776 | 63 |
| 2023 | 2,245 | 2,840,545 | 374 | 64,964 | 118,296 | 37,400 | 62 |
| Total | 8,107 | 6,451,809 | 849 | 147,554 | 268,689 | 84,948 | 444 |
Note. The 2023 CO2 emissions relative to hectares burned are assumed to be the same for all other years. The 2023 emissions data were obtained from Depner (2024). Pindyck (2019), by conducting a survey, found that the social cost of carbon for economists to be $173.7 a ton, and climate scientists are at 316.3. When the author removes the outliers, it comes to $100 a tonne. GHGs from economic activity for 2022 and 2023 are estimations from Government of British Columbia (2023).
Conclusion
In summary, wildfires are a product of natural phenomena and human activities exacerbated by climate change. These fires’ escalating frequency and intensity have profound economic implications, as evidenced by the substantial SCC associated with their emissions. Addressing these challenges requires a multifaceted approach that includes mitigation strategies, carbon pricing mechanisms, and proactive measures to minimize environmental and economic impacts. With a deeper understanding and implementation of sustainable solutions, we can build resilience and mitigate the adverse effects of wildfires for future generations.
Media Attribution
Figure 1: “Ashcroft Reserve wildfire – Look Lake, BC” by Shawn Cahill (2017), via Wikimedia Commons, is used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.
References
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Prichard, S. J., O’Neill, S. M., Eagle, P., Andreu, A. G., Drye, B., Dubowey, J., Urbanski, S., & Strand, T. M. (2020). Wildland fire emission factors in North America: Synthesis of existing data, measurement needs and management applications. International Journal of Wildland Fire, 29(2), 132–147. https://doi.org/10.1071/wf19066.
Salas, E. B. (2023a, July 28). Cost of property loss from forest fires in Canada 1970-2020, by province. Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1400872/estimated-property-loss-from-forest-fires-in-canada-by-province/.
Salas, E. B. (2023b, December 20). Area burned by wildfires in Canada 2000-2023. Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/553520/area-burned-of-forest-fires-canada/.
