Abstract Fire is a crucial process of the Earth’s system and contributes to large emissions of carbon and nitrogen (N), including ammonia (NH3) and nitrogen oxides (NOx). Q. Chen et al. (2025, https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL112396) reveals that extreme boreal fires emit unexpectedly high levels of NH3, comparable to large agricultural sources. The partitioning between NH3 and NOx fire emissions varies across different ecosystem types, leading to divergent impacts on the N cycle. New advancements in Earth System Models and more specifically, a better representation of the N cycle would offer a powerful framework for enhancing our understanding of fire reactive nitrogen (Nr) emissions’ impacts on atmospheric chemistry, ecosystems, and the global nitrogen cycle.
Observations from the Little Bunker
Last updated: November 30, 2025 04:25 AM
Atmospheric CO₂
426.8 ppm
+18.1
ppm/year
Atmospheric CH₄
1927.61 ppb
+2.73
ppb/year
Global Temperature
+1.48 °C
Peak: +1.73°C
World Population
8.1 billion
+67
million/year