Emissions from Greek wildfires equivalent of 2.3m barrels of oil, data shows

According to the EU's Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, the emissions of the wildfires that burned through islands such as Rhodes have reached record levels, with an estimated total of one megaton of carbon emissions so far in July, almost doubling the 2007 record for the same month. Picture: AP/Petros Giannakouris

Emissions from the wildfires that have ravaged parts of Greece in recent weeks are the highest in two decades — similar to more than 220,000 petrol cars driven for a year.

According to the EU's Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (Cams), the emissions of the wildfires that burned through islands such as Rhodes have reached record levels, with an estimated total of one megaton of carbon emissions so far in July, almost doubling the 2007 record for the same month.