A single wildfire doubled Scotland's greenhouse gas emissions, showing the importance of Scotland's natural habitat
A single wildfire doubled the amount of greenhouse gas emissions Scotland produced over a six-day period.
Analysis for WWF Scotland assessed the impact of a wildfire which burnt for almost six days on part of the Flow Country in May of this year.
The Flow Country, across Caithness and Sutherland, is estimated to store 400m tonnes of carbon and is under consideration for World Heritage Site status for its globally-rare type of blanket peatland.
The charity is now calling for urgent action to protect and restore peatlands, which can act as vital carbon stores.
Gina Hanrahan, head of policy for WWF Scotland, said: "We're facing twin climate and nature crises. People and nature in the UK are already feeling the impacts of climate change, and we have little time left to act if we are to avoid its worst effects.
"This analysis puts into stark figures the importance of our peatlands and the huge cost to climate and nature when something goes wrong."
WWF Scotland said the level of climate emissions from peatland wildfires can depend on the severity of the fire and prior condition of the peat.
Healthy peatlands in good condition will release around five times less carbon during wildfires, compared to a peat bog that has been drained.
More severe fires will leave bare peat, damaging the ability of peatlands to take carbon out the atmosphere, and needing restoration to return the peatland to good health more quickly.
A Scottish Government spokesman said: "Restoring peatland has an important part to play in delivering our climate change ambitions. The impact of peatland degradation on climate change cannot be overstated - particularly in Scotland, where around 25% of the country is covered in peat soil.
"If all of the C02 from that peatland were released then it would be the equivalent of more than 120 years of our emissions being released at once.
"We are committed to delivering the peatland restoration targets set out in the Climate Change Plan. We are currently updating our Climate Change Plan which will set out detailed actions to deliver on our climate change ambitions.
"In addition, as set out in our Programme for Government, with increased temperatures and changes to our weather, there is an increased risk of wildfire in Scotland.
"The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service will develop a wildfires strategy to ensure it can respond to these new and increased risks."
