One state was mostly spared from this year’s wildfires: Alaska. But there’s evidence that the frequency and intensity of burning in that state have increased in recent decades — and that has scientists worried.

As Daniel Grossman reports, they fear that the carbon released by fires in the high-north Boreal forests could speed up climate change.

This story is part of Covering Climate Now, a project aimed at strengthening the media’s focus on the climate crisis. WBUR is one of 400+ news organizations that have committed to a week of heightened coverage around the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow. Check out all our coverage here.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

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