Scorched Earth Millenium Map Shows 'Fire Scars'
Monday, May 26, 2008 - 21:35
in Earth & Climate
A geographer has produced for the first time a map of the scorched Earth for every year since the turn of the millennium. The map reveals that between 3.5 and 4.5 million square kilometers of vegetation burns on an annual basis. This is an area larger than the country of India that is burnt every year. The information is vital for scientists and agencies involved in monitoring global warming, measuring and understanding pollutants in the atmosphere, managing forests and controlling fire and even for predicting future fire occurrence.