COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AFP) — Greenland has recently been hit by localised wildfires, a rarity at this time of year that could be explained by global warming, a researcher at the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources said Thursday.

“It is rare for such fires to occur as early as June, and it is reasonable to think that overall climate change, particularly the warming of the Arctic, as well as the current El Niño effect, are to blame,” Karl Brix Zinglersen, head of the Department of Environment and Minerals at the institute, told AFP.

In Greenland, an Arctic island whose few ice-free areas are covered with tundra, vegetation fires are a fairly new phenomenon, he explained.

“Researchers have reviewed satellite images, and before 2008 they did not find any trace of vegetation fires in Greenland,” Zinglersen said.

“After that, the phenomenon picked up speed and, for the period 2008 to 2020, 21 vegetation fires were recorded, almost all of them in July and August, during spells of warm, dry weather,” he added.

“It is rarer for such fires to occur already in June.”

Western Greenland, where most of the fires have broken out, has recently enjoyed sunny weather, with little precipitation.

While ideal for outdoor activities, the downside is that the vegetation is drying out and becoming very easily flammable.

The fire department of the municipality of Sermersooq, which includes the capital Nuuk and its surroundings, posted advice on Facebook on how to prevent fires, recommending that people use only designated spots for campfires or barbecues.

The recent fires have caused no injuries and were quickly extinguished by emergency services.