Yosemite National Park, U.S.
Yosemite may be best known for its iconic escarpments at the crest of the Sierra Nevadas. But the first national park in the world is also home to old growth forests that are increasingly under pressure due to wildfires. The massive Rim Fire ignited in the park and burned through hundreds of thousands of acres in 2013. Numerous other fires have burned in or near the park in recent years, including the Ferguson Fire in 2018 that forced the park to close.
California’s forests have become more vulnerable to wildfires due to rising temperatures and drought, so while Yosemite is becoming an emitter, the whole state is also seeing emissions rise due to massive blazes.
