Wildfires may slow recovery of ozone layer - study

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According to new research, increasing wildfires in a warming world may slow the recovery of the ozone layer.

Satellite observations suggest that smoke from Australian wildfires two years ago had an impact on the layer that protects the Earth from harmful UV rays.

The study found that the loss of ozone was caused by a set of chemical reactions caused by smoke from the fires.

A total ozone loss of 1% was calculated by the scientists.

They said this could make it harder to ban chemicals that deplete the ozone layer.

The ozone layer is recovering at a rate of 1% a decade at mid latitudes. Prof Susan Solomon, of the US Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said that damage from wildfires will slow this down considerably.

All the hard work that the world did to reduce chlorofluorocarbons is not paying off in the areas that experience extreme wildfires, she said.

The best hope is that we reduce global warming gases and stop increasing the fires.

Prof Murphy said ozone loss was likely to be repeated during intense fire episodes and these are predicted to increase with climate change.

She said that any slowdown in the recovery of ozone in the mid-latitudes will increase the overall exposure to UV-radiation for Australians and may impact the occurrence of skin cancer in the future.

Climate change is leading to more frequent weather extremes, including floods and storms, according to a report by an influential panel of scientists.