Articles | Volume 18, issue 23
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-6229-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-6229-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Methane gas emissions from savanna fires: what analysis of local burning regimes in a working West African landscape tell us
Paul Laris
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Geography Department, California State University Long Beach, 1250
Bellflower Blvd., Long Beach, CA 90840, USA
Moussa Koné
Geography, Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny, BP V34, Abidjan, République de Côte d'Ivoire
Fadiala Dembélé
Institut Polytechnique Rural de Formation et de Recherché
Appliquée de Katibougou (IPR/IFRA), BP 06 Bamako, Mali
Christine M. Rodrigue
Geography Department, California State University Long Beach, 1250
Bellflower Blvd., Long Beach, CA 90840, USA
Lilian Yang
Geography Department, California State University Long Beach, 1250
Bellflower Blvd., Long Beach, CA 90840, USA
Rebecca Jacobs
Geography Department, California State University Long Beach, 1250
Bellflower Blvd., Long Beach, CA 90840, USA
Quincy Laris
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of
California, 760 Davis Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
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Cited
15 citations as recorded by crossref.
- The Pyrogeography of Methane Emissions from Seasonal Mosaic Burning Regimes in a West African Landscape P. Laris et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/fire6020052
- Departing from the Colonial Path: A Critical Approach to Studying Fire Regime Changes in West Africa S. Caillault et al. https://doi.org/10.1177/27539687261417715
- The temperature dependence of greenhouse gas production from Central African savannah soils N. Girkin et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geodrs.2025.e00934
- Quantifying and mapping the supply-demand for carbon sequestration by urban green infrastructures: Evidence from Hamadan Urban Area, Iran S. Gharibi & K. Shayesteh https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-024-05305-x
- Fire as a Factor in the Dynamics of Meadow Vegetation: A Model Experiment in Western Siberia S. Lednev et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/fire7040115
- Fire Impacts, vegetation Recovery, and environmental drivers in West African savannas (2014–2023): A High-Resolution remote sensing assessment B. Ouattara et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jag.2025.104783
- Radiative forcing due to shifting southern African fire regimes T. Eames et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-17429-2025
- A multicriteria approach for biomass availability assessment and selection for energy production in Burkina Faso: A hybrid AHP-TOPSIS approach F. Zoma & M. Sawadogo https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e20999
- The role of people, parks and precipitation on the frequency and timing of fires in a sub-Saharan savanna ecosystem J. Dewald et al. https://doi.org/10.1071/WF23020
- Biomass Burning over Africa: How to Explain the Differences Observed Between the Different Emission Inventories? T. N’Datchoh et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos16040440
- Navigating discourses: Unpacking the problematisation of traditional burning practices in Northern Ghana R. Alare et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pyro.2026.100017
- The hygroscopic properties of biomass burning aerosol from Eucalyptus and cow dung under different combustion conditions M. Mouton et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/02786826.2023.2198587
- Assessing Carbon Emissions from Biomass Burning in Croplands in Burkina Faso, West Africa P. Bougma et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/fire6100402
- Influence of relative humidity and aging on the optical properties of organic aerosols from burning African biomass fuels M. McRee et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/02786826.2024.2412652
- Methane emissions from rice cultivation in West Africa and compensation options from nature reserve forests S. Guug et al. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/adc28c
15 citations as recorded by crossref.
- The Pyrogeography of Methane Emissions from Seasonal Mosaic Burning Regimes in a West African Landscape P. Laris et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/fire6020052
- Departing from the Colonial Path: A Critical Approach to Studying Fire Regime Changes in West Africa S. Caillault et al. https://doi.org/10.1177/27539687261417715
- The temperature dependence of greenhouse gas production from Central African savannah soils N. Girkin et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geodrs.2025.e00934
- Quantifying and mapping the supply-demand for carbon sequestration by urban green infrastructures: Evidence from Hamadan Urban Area, Iran S. Gharibi & K. Shayesteh https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-024-05305-x
- Fire as a Factor in the Dynamics of Meadow Vegetation: A Model Experiment in Western Siberia S. Lednev et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/fire7040115
- Fire Impacts, vegetation Recovery, and environmental drivers in West African savannas (2014–2023): A High-Resolution remote sensing assessment B. Ouattara et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jag.2025.104783
- Radiative forcing due to shifting southern African fire regimes T. Eames et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-17429-2025
- A multicriteria approach for biomass availability assessment and selection for energy production in Burkina Faso: A hybrid AHP-TOPSIS approach F. Zoma & M. Sawadogo https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e20999
- The role of people, parks and precipitation on the frequency and timing of fires in a sub-Saharan savanna ecosystem J. Dewald et al. https://doi.org/10.1071/WF23020
- Biomass Burning over Africa: How to Explain the Differences Observed Between the Different Emission Inventories? T. N’Datchoh et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos16040440
- Navigating discourses: Unpacking the problematisation of traditional burning practices in Northern Ghana R. Alare et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pyro.2026.100017
- The hygroscopic properties of biomass burning aerosol from Eucalyptus and cow dung under different combustion conditions M. Mouton et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/02786826.2023.2198587
- Assessing Carbon Emissions from Biomass Burning in Croplands in Burkina Faso, West Africa P. Bougma et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/fire6100402
- Influence of relative humidity and aging on the optical properties of organic aerosols from burning African biomass fuels M. McRee et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/02786826.2024.2412652
- Methane emissions from rice cultivation in West Africa and compensation options from nature reserve forests S. Guug et al. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/adc28c
Saved (final revised paper)
Latest update: 06 Jul 2026
Short summary
Savanna fires play a key role in the global carbon cycle because they release methane. Although it burns the most, there are few studies from West Africa. We conducted 36 experimental fires according to local practice to collect smoke samples. We found that fires set early in the season had higher methane emissions than those set later, and head fires had double the emissions of backfires. We conclude policies to reduce emissions will not have the desired effects if fire type is not considered.
Savanna fires play a key role in the global carbon cycle because they release methane. Although...
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