Ecological Consequences of Large-Scale Forest Fires in Ukraine in Spring – Summer – Autumn 2020

Abstract

Purpose of the study is analysis and assessment of quantitative indexes of the environmental consequences of large-scale forest fires in Ukraine in spring – summer – autumn 2020, which took place mainly in Kyiv, Zhytomyr, Lugansk and Kharkiv regions. Methods. Information analysis, theoretical and computational, numerical simulation, system analysis. Results. The large-scale forest fires in Ukraine in spring – summer – autumn 2020 had very significant environmental consequences was demonstrated. Ecosystems on an area of more than 23,200 hectares have been significantly affected. About 2 Mt of timber was lost. It was found that up to 1 Mt of smoke and about 7 kt of soot was emitted into the atmosphere, which is 15,5 times higher and more than 10 times higher than its average background content in the atmosphere over the entire territory of Ukraine. The emissions of carbon monoxide (over 230 kt), hydrocarbons (up to 0,1 Mt), and carbon dioxide (5,2 Mt) were significant. Emissions of other chemical elements (from tens and hundreds kilotons for nitrogen to tens and hundreds of kilograms for heavy chemical elements) were significant. More than 20 PJ of thermal energy entered the atmosphere, which is equivalent to the explosion energy of a 5-megaton bomb. The average combustion power exceeded 46 GW, which is comparable to the power of all types of energy consumed by Ukraine (about 150 GW). About 70 TJ of acoustic radiation energy entered the atmosphere, which doubled its average background content in the atmosphere over the entire territory of Ukraine. A significant part of this energy fell on the infrasonic range, which was harmful to the biosphere (man). The ecological consequences of large-scale forest fires in 2020 for Ukraine have become record-breaking. More precisely, we are talking about a kind of anti-record. Conclusions. The environmental consequences were record-breaking, or rather anti-record, is shown. Full restoration of forest areas requires a time interval equal of 10 to 100 years.