In the remote peatlands of Alaska, Canada, and Siberia, “zombie fires” have become a perplexing phenomenon for scientists. These fires, which smoulder underground through the winter, mysteriously reignite come spring, often well before the traditional fire season begins.

Zombie fires, appearing as early as May, have baffled researchers due to their persistence and timing. Conventional wisdom has held that these fires are remnants of surface blazes. However, recent research by Sebastian Wieczorek, Eoin O’Sullivan, and Kieran Mu suggests a different culprit.

Their study posits that rapid atmospheric warming above ground could be heating the peat soils to smouldering temperatures, leading to spontaneous combustion without any external spark or ignition source. This climate change-driven mechanism may explain the reoccurrence and resilience of zombie fires.

The implications of this discovery are significant, highlighting the broader impact of climate change on natural fire cycles and the unique challenges posed by these subterranean blazes. As the Arctic continues to warm, understanding and addressing the phenomenon of zombie fires becomes increasingly critical.