Articles | Volume 25, issue 23
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-17429-2025
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-17429-2025
Research article
 | 
02 Dec 2025
Research article |  | 02 Dec 2025

Radiative forcing due to shifting southern African fire regimes

Tom Eames, Nick Schutgens, Eleftherios Ioannidis, Ivar R. van der Velde, Max J. van Gerrevink, Roland Vernooij, and Guido R. van der Werf

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Cited articles

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Short summary
Prescribed burning is used as a landscape management tool in southern African savannas. By deliberately changing the timing of fires in this region, the climate effect (radiative forcing) of a fire season can be altered. We show that by burning earlier in the dry season a small climate cooling effect can be achieved, similar to that of a 10 % reduction in global commercial aviation emissions. Local effects must be considered before implementing a fire regime shift for climate change mitigation.
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