Air Quality and Current Fires South of the African Equator

Compared to Northern hemisphere fires this is totally not on the radar of the news media or environmentalists. And no, I'm not implying the world is burning down, but I am interested if these fires are natural or part of agricultural practices or living conditions.

 

Grok3 AI:

The Windy application’s global fire view, which likely incorporates data from sources like NASA’s Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS), shows numerous small fires across Africa south of the equator due to a combination of human activities, environmental conditions, and ecosystem dynamics. Below, I outline the primary causes of these fires, focusing on regions south of the equator, such as southern and central Africa, during their respective fire seasons. Primary Causes of Small Fires in Africa Below the EquatorAgricultural Practices (Slash-and-Burn and Land Clearing):Slash-and-Burn Agriculture: In southern and central Africa, particularly in countries like Angola, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, small-scale farmers commonly use fire to clear land for agriculture. This practice, known as slash-and-burn, involves cutting vegetation and burning it to create nutrient-rich soil for crops. The ash fertilizes the soil, and the practice is cost-effective for smallholder farmers. These fires are typically small, localized, and widespread, contributing to the pattern observed on Windy’s fire view.

 

Crop Residue Burning:

After harvests, farmers burn leftover crop residues to prepare fields for the next planting season. This is common during the dry season (April to August in southern Africa), when vegetation is dry and flammable, leading to numerous small fires.

 

Land Management for Grazing:

Fires are deliberately set to manage rangelands for livestock. Burning removes old, dry grass, encouraging fresh grass growth for grazing animals. This practice is widespread in savanna ecosystems, which dominate much of southern Africa. These controlled burns are typically small and scattered, aligning with the pattern seen in the Windy application.

 

Seasonal and Climatic Conditions:

Dry Season Dynamics: South of the equator, the fire season peaks from April to August, coinciding with the dry season when vegetation dries out, creating abundant fuel. The savanna and grassland ecosystems, prevalent in southern Africa, accumulate dry biomass during the wet season, which becomes highly flammable during the dry months.

 

Climate Change and Drought:

Increasing temperatures and drought conditions, exacerbated by climate change, enhance fire susceptibility. In some areas, hotter and drier conditions have extended the fire season and increased fire frequency, particularly in regions like the southern Congo Basin.

 

Natural Causes (Lightning):

Lightning strikes during the transition from wet to dry seasons can ignite fires in savanna and grassland ecosystems, which are fire-dependent and adapted to periodic burning. While less common than human-induced fires, lightning contributes to the overall fire activity observed.

 

Deforestation and Land Use Change:

In tropical forest areas, such as parts of the Congo Basin, small fires are increasingly linked to deforestation. As forests are cleared for agriculture or logging, fragmented landscapes become more fire-prone. These fires are often small but numerous, as they occur in patches of cleared or degraded forest.

 

Aerosol Feedback Mechanism:

Research indicates that fire-induced aerosols (e.g., smoke particles) in Africa create a feedback loop that sustains fire activity. Aerosols influence local climate by reducing rainfall and increasing temperatures, drying out vegetation and making it more flammable. This mechanism amplifies fire seasons, particularly in central and southern Africa, contributing to the widespread small fires seen on Windy’s map.

 

Why Small Fires DominateFire Size and Detection:

Many fires in Africa south of the equator are small (<100 hectares) because they are set intentionally for specific purposes (e.g., clearing small plots or managing grazing land). These fires are often missed by coarser-resolution satellite data but are detected by higher-resolution tools used by platforms like Windy, which likely integrates data from MODIS or VIIRS sensors. Small fires account for a significant portion of burned areas (up to 41% in sub-Saharan Africa) and contribute substantially to emissions.

 

Cultural and Historical Practices:

Fire has been used for thousands of years in African savannas and forests for land management, making small, controlled burns a traditional practice. These fires are less intense than large wildfires but are numerous and frequent, creating the dense pattern of fire hotspots on Windy’s global fire view.

 

Regional ContextSouthern Africa (e.g., Angola, Zambia):

The savanna-dominated landscapes experience widespread burning during the dry season (April–August). Angola and Zambia, for example, saw 67,162 and 21,034 fires, respectively, in a single week in 2018, many of which were small agricultural burns.

 

Central Africa (e.g., Democratic Republic of Congo):

The Congo Basin, while historically wet, has seen increased fire activity due to deforestation and drier conditions, particularly in its southern and northeastern parts. Small fires in these areas are often linked to forest clearing.

 

Environmental and Social Impacts:

While these small fires are often intentional and culturally significant, they have consequences.

Air Quality: The cumulative smoke from numerous small fires degrades air quality, affecting rural communities and contributing to greenhouse gas emissions (e.g., 1.44 PgC annually from African fires).

 

Ecosystem Effects:

Savanna ecosystems are fire-adapted, but excessive burning can lead to soil degradation and biodiversity loss, especially in deforested areas.

 

Climate Feedback:

The aerosol feedback loop and climate change exacerbate fire frequency, potentially increasing the number of small fires over time.

 

Conclusion:

The massive number of small fires observed on the Windy application’s global fire view in Africa south of the equator is primarily driven by traditional agricultural practices like slash-and-burn and land clearing for grazing, amplified by dry season conditions and, increasingly, climate change and deforestation. These fires are typically small and intentional, reflecting long-standing cultural practices in savanna and forest ecosystems. However, their frequency and environmental impact, including emissions and air quality degradation, highlight the need for monitoring and sustainable land management. For real-time data, platforms like Windy and NASA’s FIRMS are valuable tools for tracking these fires.

 

Grok3 Further Question:

What percentage of these fires are due to charcoal fuel production?

 

There is limited specific data directly attributing the percentage of fires in Africa south of the equator to charcoal fuel production, as most studies focus on broader causes like agricultural burning, land management, and natural fires. However, charcoal production is a known contributor to fire activity in the region, particularly in forested areas, and I can provide an informed estimate based on available information. Key Points on Charcoal Production and FiresCharcoal Production Process: Charcoal is made by cutting trees and burning them in low-oxygen conditions (e.g., in kilns or pits) to produce charcoal for cooking fuel. These fires are typically small and controlled but can spread if not managed properly, contributing to the fire patterns observed on platforms like Windy’s global fire view. In some cases, the initial clearing of forests for charcoal production involves slash-and-burn techniques, which also generate fires.

 

Prevalence in Sub-Saharan Africa:

Charcoal is a critical energy source, with over 70% of sub-Saharan African households relying on woodfuel (including charcoal) for cooking. In urban areas like Kinshasa, up to 90% of residents depend on charcoal, driving significant demand and production-related fires.

 

Environmental Impact:

Charcoal production contributes to forest degradation and is often unregulated, leading to fires that may escape control. A 2019 report notes that charcoal production in countries like Somalia and the Democratic Republic of Congo is linked to widespread tree cutting and fires, exacerbating deforestation and desertification.

 

Fire Characteristics:

Studies indicate that fires in southern Africa, particularly in savanna and grassland ecosystems, produce small, elongated microcharcoal particles, some of which are associated with charcoal production. However, these fires are often smaller than agricultural burns and may not dominate satellite-detected fire points.

 

Estimating the Percentage:

While no source provides an exact percentage of fires south of the equator caused by charcoal production, we can infer from related data:Dominance of Agricultural Fires: Research shows that savanna and grassland fires, primarily for agriculture and land management (e.g., slash-and-burn, grazing land preparation), account for 82.6–85.9% of burned areas in sub-Saharan Africa, with small fires (<100 ha) contributing 41% of total burned area. These agricultural fires are the primary driver of the numerous small fires seen on Windy’s fire view.

 

Charcoal Production as a Subset:

Charcoal production is often categorized under human-induced fires, which include agricultural, pastoral, and fuelwood-related activities. A 2020 study on East Africa notes that charcoal burning is one of several human activities causing fires, alongside slash-and-burn and pastoral burning, but does not quantify its specific contribution. In tropical forests like the Congo Basin, fires linked to deforestation (which includes charcoal production) have increased, but they remain a smaller fraction compared to savanna fires.

 

Indirect Evidence:

The high dependence on charcoal (e.g., 90% in Kinshasa) suggests that charcoal production contributes significantly to fire activity in forested regions south of the equator, such as the southern Congo Basin, Angola, and Zambia. However, savanna fires for agriculture and grazing likely dominate the total fire count due to the vast extent of savanna ecosystems.

 

Best Estimate:

Based on the available data, charcoal production likely accounts for a small but non-negligible percentage of the fires observed south of the equator. Given that agricultural and pastoral fires dominate (likely 80–90% of total burned area), and considering charcoal production’s role in forested areas, I estimate that 5–15% of the small fires in Africa south of the equator may be directly or indirectly linked to charcoal production. This range accounts for:Controlled burns for charcoal kilns and forest clearing for charcoal, which are smaller in scale than agricultural fires.

Regional variations, with higher contributions in forested areas like the Congo Basin compared to savanna-dominated regions like Angola or Zambia.

The lack of precise data, as most studies do not isolate charcoal-related fires from other human-induced fires.

 

LimitationsData Gaps:

No recent, comprehensive study specifically quantifies charcoal production’s contribution to fire counts in southern Africa. Satellite data (e.g., MODIS, VIIRS) used by Windy may detect charcoal-related fires but does not distinguish their purpose.

Regional Variability: The contribution of charcoal production varies by country and ecosystem (e.g., higher in forested Congo Basin areas than in savanna-dominated Zambia).

Uncontrolled Fires: Some charcoal-related fires may spread unintentionally, but these are likely a small fraction compared to intentional agricultural burns.

 

Conclusion:

While agricultural and land management fires dominate the fire landscape in Africa south of the equator (80–90% of burned area), charcoal production likely contributes 5–15% of the small fires observed on Windy’s global fire view, particularly in forested regions like the southern Congo Basin. This estimate is based on the high reliance on charcoal as a fuel source and its association with deforestation and burning practices, though precise data is lacking. For more accurate figures, region-specific studies or higher-resolution fire purpose analysis would be needed.

 

 

 

Done