A major human activity leading to the production of carbon dioxide, the most important human-produced greenhouse gas, is global fire.
Fire is a regular feature of our planet.
The burning of biomass or vegetation is a significant global source of many environmentally important species, including carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, methane, the oxides of nitrogen and solid combustion particulates. Over the last decade, much has been learned about the gaseous and particulate emissions resulting from burning in diverse ecosystems. However, a major deficiency is accurate information on the area burned on an annual basis. For example, 1997-98 was one of the worst fire years on record, with extensive and widespread wildfires in Southeast Asia, South America, Mexico, Florida, Africa, and Russia. This outbreak of wildfires was related to the strong El Nino, which altered atmospheric and precipitation patterns worldwide.