One of the creations of engineering is the Burj Khalifa in Dubai! This is the tallest building in the world, capable of capturing anyone's attention due to its design and height!

Those who have seen the Burj Khalifa once cannot take their eyes off it. The construction of such a tall building in the heart of the desert and its standing despite all the adversities, the Burj Khaleej is a unique example of human ingenuity and engineering.

Burj Khalifa breaks through the clouds; source: Daily Mail.

On January 6, 2004, Dubai literally began to explode! The world's tallest building, emerging from the ground and slowly rising, once announced its existence in the kingdom of clouds! Just two days before the completion of six years, on January 4, 2010, Dubai's world-famous skyscraper 'Burj Khalifa' finished its journey by going 828 meters above the ground (829.8 meters including the antenna). It rose so high from the ground that people on the top floors of the building could see the sun for two more minutes even after sunset! As a result, when worshippers on the ground in Dubai start breaking their fast during Ramadan, people living above the 80th floor break their fast two minutes later!

The government of Dubai has a long-term plan to move away from an oil-dependent economy. The government's goal was to increase the impact of services and travel on the country's economy. The Burj Khalifa tower was part of that plan. This vast building was built for multiple uses. Initially, the building's design included 19 hotels, 9 residential towers, 30,000 homes, a 7.5-acre park, a 12-acre artificial lake, and the Dubai Mall. Until its inauguration, it was called 'Burj Dubai'. Later, it was named Burj Khalifa in honor of the President of the United Arab Emirates, Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. However, Dubai faced a financial crisis during the construction of the Burj Khalifa. After starting to diversify its economy in 2000, Dubai borrowed 80 billion US dollars from various international organizations and countries. As a result, the country was in an economic crisis from 2007-10.

 

 

The world's tallest building, Burj Khalifa, was built on Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai's main commercial city, 'Downtown Dubai'. The chief architect of the building was Adrian Smith. Bill Baker was the chief construction engineer and Sufian Al Jaberi served as the head of all types of engineering. And the responsibility for building the building was given to a contracting company called 'SOM' or Skidmore, Wings & Merrill. This company had built skyscrapers like the Sears Tower before Burj Khalifa. The 'bundled tube' method invented by Bangladeshi architect Fazlur Rahman Khan was used in Burj Khalifa, which he had invented while building the Sears Tower. Despite being almost twice as tall as the Empire State Building, the total amount of iron used in the construction of the Burj Khalifa Tower was half that of the previous building! Only 4,000 tons of iron were used in the construction of this huge building. This was possible thanks to a method invented by Fazlur Rahman Khan, a famous engineer and architect of Bangladesh.

The design of the Burj Khalifa was inspired by this minaret of the 'Great' Mosque in Samarra, Iraq; source: Pinterest

The original design of the building is derived from Islamic architecture. The spiral design of the Burj Khalifa was inspired by the spiral minaret of a mosque built in the 9th century in Samarra, Iraq. As the building goes up, each tower connected to it ends in a total of 27 steps, and the central tower in the middle rises to a height of 828 meters. And a spiral shape is created around it. As the towers are completed step by step, a beautiful roof is created on them. However, these spiral steps contain important scientific ideas. The steps are decorated in such a way that they are tolerant of desert cyclones. However, a study by the 'Council of Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat' has revealed an interesting fact. According to them, the original height of the Burj Khalifa is 585 meters. The remaining 244 meters is the height of the spire or coil that has been created at the top of the building. This part is unnecessary and removing it would not reduce the usable space of the Burj Khalifa.

The entire Burj Khalifa tower is decorated with 1,000 selected famous paintings. The residential lobbies are decorated with paintings and sculptures by the renowned Spanish painter and sculptor Houmi Plenger. The 174,000 square meters of walls of the entire building are covered with 26,000 large, hard, reflective glass and colorful aluminum sheets. These glasses are not like other ordinary glasses at all. They are poor conductors of heat. As a result, even though light enters the building, the internal environment is not affected by the intense temperature outside. Again, the glasses also work as solar panels. As a result, a good amount of electricity is generated in the intense sun all day long. However, this glass does not only protect from the sun's rays. The outside temperature at the top of the Burj Khalifa is only 6 degrees Celsius. In this case, these glasses also work as insulation.

Inside the Burj Khalifa; source: Waste My Time.

 

Four Armani hotels occupy 15 of the first 40 floors of the Burj Khalifa. There are 900 apartments for sale between floors 50-108. But don't think that you can buy them just because you hear "for sale". They were sold out within just eight hours of the Burj Khalifa's inauguration! There is a huge 'beach entry swimming pool' on the 76th floor. There are no stairs in this type of pool, and these pools get deeper and steeper as you go further, like the seashore. There is a similar swimming pool on the 43rd floor, which is smaller in size. On floors 122-24 is the 'At.Mossphere' sky restaurant, which is also the highest restaurant in the world. Most of the space outside these is occupied by corporate offices and residential suites. There are a total of 2,909 stairs in the 160-story Burj Khalifa. There are 57 double-deck elevators or lifts and eight escalators. The elevators can transport 12 to 14 people per cabin, travel at a speed of 10 meters/second, and have LCD TVs and air conditioning.

At.Mosfia Restaurant; source: Time Out Dubai.

 

The entire Burj Khalifa requires an average of 950,000 liters of water per day, which is supplied through 100 kilometers of pipes. Another 200 kilometers of pipes are spread like a network throughout the building, for fire control in emergencies. On the other hand, there are an additional 46 kilometers of pipes for supplying water through condensate for the air conditioning system. The air for the cooling system comes entirely from the 100th floor of the Burj Khalifa, where the weather is relatively cool and the air is quite dust-free. The heat generated by the Burj Khalifa's cooling system every day is equivalent to the heat generated by melting about 1,300 tons of ice! There is also a special system for cleaning the building's 24,348 windows.

 

Burj Khalifa Fountain; source: Desert Safari Dubai.

 

If you want to see a fountain in the heart of the desert, you have to go to Burj Khalifa. Whether artificial or not, who ever imagined that there could be a fountain in the desert country of Dubai? At a cost of $217 million, the American 'Weight Enterprise' built an artificial fountain, which is located next to the main entrance of Burj Khalifa. This fountain of clear blue water is illuminated at night by 6,600 colorful electric lights. And the entire building is surrounded by the vast and beautiful Burj Khalifa Park, which, like the main building, is made in the shape of a flower of a type of desert plant called 'Hymenocallis'. The cooling system of Burj Khalifa supplies about 68 million liters of water annually to the trees in this park. Since its inauguration in 2010, Burj Khalifa has become one of the world's tourist attractions. Not only its height, but also the nobility and architectural style of Burj Khalifa are eye-catching. Parks, fountains, sky hotels, swimming pools, and observation lobbies - if you've ever been to Dubai, you have to go there for all of these.

Dubai at night from the 78th floor observation deck; source: absolutevisit.com

 

Some records of Burj Khalifa-

 

• Tallest building - 828 meters; previously in Taipei, China. 

• Tallest building without antennas - 828 meters; previously the Sears Tower. 

• World's longest elevator - 504 meters. 

• Most floors - 160 (211 including the non-residential spires); previously the World Trade Center - 101. • World's highest observation deck - 555 meters. 

• World's highest restaurant - 442 meters. 

• World's highest nightclub. 

• World's highest mosque (158 floors). 

 

The Dubai government spent 1.5 billion US dollars to build the Burj Khalifa Tower. Currently, the price per square foot of land has reached 4,000 dollars! However, in such a huge and ambitious expensive project, the Dubai government has shown the height of stinginess with the workers. The 7,500 workers who worked for 6 years to build this skyscraper received only 2.84 dollars per day! Moreover, there is no accounting for how many more workers were injured in accidents while working. However, the Dubai government did not treat these workers with even the minimum humane treatment. The housing and food facilities of the workers were of very poor quality. On the other hand, a large part of these workers had come from South Asia and the Middle East. The poor people of these regions had left their black and white lives behind and migrated to Dubai to dream of a colorful future. However, their dreams had no value to the Dubai government. That is why in 2006, about 2,500 workers rebelled against their employers, although the results were zero.

 

 

In any case, the Sears Tower, later known as the Burj Khalifa, took construction engineering to a new level. Even if it's not for the park, fountain, or lobby, you have to go to the Burj Khalifa Tower in Downtown Dubai to see a man-made structure rising from the ground to a mountain-like height and into the realm of clouds.

 

What the Holy Prophet (PBUH) saw on Shab-e-Meraj!

The word Meraj means ascension. Shab-e-Meraj means the night of ascension. The word Shab is Persian, meaning night. In Arabic it is called Lailatul Meraj.

 

On the night of Miraj, the Prophet (peace be upon him) saw many people surrounding Adam (peace be upon him). He was smiling when he looked to his right and crying when he looked to his left. When the Prophet (peace be upon him) asked about this, he was told that they were all descendants of Adam. Adam (peace be upon him) used to smile when he saw his righteous descendants and cry when he saw his wicked descendants. Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) was given the opportunity to see in detail.

 

1. At one place he saw some people harvesting crops, and the more they harvested, the more they grew. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) asked Gabriel (AS) - Brother, who are these? In response to this question, Gabriel (AS) said, "These are those who are fighting in the way of Allah."

 

2. Then he saw some people's heads being crushed by stones.

Their identity was described as those people whose reluctance and dissatisfaction prevented them from getting up for prayer.

 

3. Then he saw some people whose clothes were tied in front and behind. And they were eating grass like animals. About their identity it was said that they did not pay zakat on their wealth, nor did they give charity.  

4. Then he saw a man who was trying to pile up wood and lift it as a load, but despite his failure, he kept adding more wood to his load.

 

When asked about the identity of this man, he was told that this man had a burden of responsibility that he could not bear. Yet, instead of reducing the burden, he took on more responsibility. 

5. In the next scene, he saw some people having their lips and tongues cut off with scissors. When asked about them, he was told that they were unwise talkers. They would say whatever came to their minds. They would create mischief in this society.

 

6. Then a stone appeared in a place, which had a small crack in it. A fat ox came out of it. Then it tried to enter it but could not. When asked about this, it was said, "This is the example of an irresponsible person who, ashamed of saying something that causes trouble, wants to remedy it, but cannot."

 

7. At one place, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) saw some people cutting and eating their own flesh. They were identified as those who used to accuse and slander others.

 

8. Next to them were some people who had nails made of copper, with which they scratched their faces and chests. It was said about their identity that they used to slander them in the absence of people. They used to insult their honor. 

 

9. Some people had lips like the lips of a snake and were eating fire. It was said about them that they used to devour the wealth of orphans.

 

10. Then the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) saw some people whose stomachs were extremely large and full of poisonous snakes. People were trampling them and passing over them; but they were unable to do anything. It was said about their identity that they were usurers. 

11. Then the Prophet of Allah saw some people who had good meat on one side and rotten, foul-smelling meat on the other. They were eating rotten meat while leaving good meat. They were identified as people who, despite having lawful wives, were fulfilling their sexual desires illegally.

 

12. He also saw some women who were hanging by their breasts. It was said about them that these were women who claimed children who were not the offspring of their husbands as their own.

 

While observing these scenes, the Prophet (PBUH) met an angel who seemed to be in a rough and gruff mood. The Prophet (PBUH) asked Gabriel (PBUH), "Of all the angels I have met so far, all of them are cheerful. Why is he like this?" Gabriel (PBUH) said, "He has no business being cheerful. He is the guardian of Hell." Hearing this, the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) wanted to see Hell, and immediately the curtain was lifted from his vision and Hell appeared in its terrible form.

 

Journey to the Throne of the Almighty, crossing the seven heavens 

 

In the first heaven, he met Adam (AS). Adam (AS) welcomed Prophet Muhammad (SAW). At that time, the sound of Marhaba, Marhaba resounded from the entire heaven. After crossing this level, he reached the second heaven. Here he met Yahya (AS) and Jesus (AS). In the third heaven, he met Yusuf (AS), in the fourth heaven, Idris (AS), in the fifth heaven, Harun (AS), in the sixth heaven, he met Musa (AS). Upon reaching the seventh heaven, he saw a huge palace, Baitul Ma'mur. Numerous angels were coming and going here. Here he met a great personality with whom he had a resemblance. He learned that this was Ibrahim (AS). Then he started to climb higher. As he ascended, he reached Sidratul Muntaha. Allah Almighty says, “To Sidratul Muntaha, near which is the Garden of Life.” (Surah: An-Najm, verses: 14 and 15)

 

Then the Rafraf came for him, and he ascended there and ascended to the Throne of the Almighty, alone. He ascended so high that Allah the Almighty says, ‘That is, he was on the upper horizon. Then he came close to him, very close. So there was a distance of two bowshots between them, or less.’

(Surah: An-Najm, Verses: 7, 8, 9)

 

There he had the privilege of having many more conversations with Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. Here are a few of the conversations he had with Allah:

1. The possibility of forgiving any sin other than shirk has been revealed.

2. The last two verses of Surah Al-Baqarah have been taught.

 

3. Whoever intends to do a good deed, one good deed is recorded for him. And when he actually does it, ten good deeds are recorded; but whoever intends to do a bad deed, nothing is recorded against him. And when he actually does it, only one bad deed is recorded for him.

 

4. 50 times of prayer are made obligatory daily, which was later reduced to five times and it was announced—‘Ma yubaddalul kawlu ladayya wama anaa bijallamin lil abidi’ meaning, O Prophet (peace be upon him)! Nothing is changed from My Almighty Self and I do not want to cause more hardship to My servants. So if you and your Ummah offer five times of prayer daily, 50 times will be recorded instead of five.  

 

For example—Allah the Almighty has said in Surah An’am, ‘Man zaa bilhasanaati falahu ashara amsaliha.’

 

Meaning: O Prophet! Whoever does one good deed to draw near to me, ten good deeds will be written for him instead of one good deed. (Subhanallah)

fter finishing his conversation with Allah, he said goodbye and went to Sidratul Muntaha. From Sidratul Muntaha, he came to Baitul Muqaddas on the Buraq with Jibraeel (AS). Then he again climbed the Buraq and went to Mecca. May Allah grant us all the tawfeeq to learn from the Miraj and act accordingly.  

Amin.

  

    

 

 

 

 

All the fires that are destroying the world!

Extremely hot summers and autumns. Unusually dry winters. Dry forests. Dry vegetation on mountain slopes. Meanwhile, strong Santa Ana winds 'standing on the edge'. Recently, the whole world witnessed the 'horror of the Los Angeles wildfires'. Scientists say that if temperatures had not increased due to climate change, the fires would have been 'somewhat smaller and less intense'.

'Wildfire' - a natural disaster that is devastating the world. It is basically a huge stream of fire; which can burn any region in an instant. It can turn a war-torn city into a city. 'Climate change' is pushing the world into the lap of various disasters. A blazing example of this is wildfire. Although there is no way to deny it, scientists have also been repeatedly warning about it. The United Nations says that the incidence of such devastating wildfires will increase by about 50 percent in the latter part of this century. The countries of Western America, Northern Siberia, Central India and Eastern Australia will be the most affected in this list. The latest example of this is the 'California wildfire'. Which has been labeled the largest wildfire in American history!

California's 'Palymedes Fire'

The most destructive fire in American history - 'California wildfires' 

Since 2000, the United States has suffered an average of 70,600 wildfires each year. Considering the recent scenario, Los Angeles, California has been devastated by multiple wildfires over the past few weeks (fires began on January 7). Three major fires are still burning in the region. Meanwhile, on January 24, a new wildfire broke out in Los Angeles, one of the richest cities. The fire has consumed more than 9,400 acres of land as of Wednesday (January 23) local time. The local administration has evacuated more than 31,000 residents from there.

In California, strong Santa Ana winds and dry conditions caused a series of wildfires to spread across Los Angeles in January. It began with the Palisades Fire, a brush fire that began in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles on the morning of January 7. In just a few hours, the fire spread to an area of ​​about 23,448 acres. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) reported that more than 12,000 homes, businesses and other structures were damaged or destroyed in the nearly two-week-long blaze. At least 28 people died in the blaze, some of whom died trying to save their homes. According to media sources, the Palisades Fire is the largest wildfire to spread in Los Angeles. Its extent of damage is more than 36.6 square miles.

Los Angeles County officials say at least 28 people have died in the fires, including 17 in the Eaton Fire and 11 in the Palisades Fire. More than 200,000 people were initially ordered to evacuate as firefighters battled to contain the blazes. In the days and weeks since, local officials have announced plans to rehabilitate some areas affected by the Palisades and Eaton fires. The devastating fires have destroyed entire neighborhoods and blocks in several areas, including the Hollywood neighborhood. Thousands of homes have been destroyed, leaving many homeless. According to GPR, insured losses from the fires could exceed $20 billion. The total economic damage to Los Angeles could reach $50 billion. According to available data, it is the most expensive wildfire in American history to date. The previous wildfire, the Camp Fire of 2018, caused about $12.5 billion in insured losses.

 

Scientists say human-caused climate change is one of the factors behind the most devastating fires in California's history. An analysis of the causes of the extreme dryness of vegetation when the fires started in Southern California shows that global warming is responsible for about a quarter of the dryness. They say extreme summer and fall heat has dried out shrubs and grasses on mountain slopes, which help them burn more intensely as fuel when they catch fire. Scientists say the fires would have been more extreme if not for the warming caused by climate change, but they would have been "somewhat smaller and less intense."

Climate scientist Park Williams (UCLA's Climate and Wildfire Research Initiative) and his colleagues Alex Hall, Gavin Madakumbura and others have prepared an analysis that states, "Three factors worked together to cause these devastating fires. Los Angeles's abundant fuel supply, extremely dry fuels (shrubs and dry vegetation), and the seasonally very strong Santa Ana winds have compounded Los Angeles' misfortune." They analyze the extremely dry conditions in Southern California, where there has been no significant rainfall for eight months.

 

A Los Angeles weather station recorded just 0.29 inches of rain between May 1 and January 8, the second driest since 1877. Researchers say Southern California's temperatures are partly to blame for the reduced "fuel moisture" of dead vegetation. They estimate that the unusual heat is responsible for about 25% of the dryness of the vegetation, while the lack of rainfall accounts for the remaining 75%. When strong Santa Ana winds arrive, it compounds all the factors for a high fire risk.

What is a wildfire?

 

A fire caused by excessive heat in dry forests that spreads throughout the forest is known as a 'wildfire'. The dense undergrowth and close contact of trees within the forest create a favorable environment for spontaneous combustion. In such a situation, a small spark is enough to turn the entire forest into a terrible ember. A 'wildfire' is basically like a stream of fire that can burn an entire area to ashes in an instant.

 

Why do Wildfires occur?

 

Wildfires can be extremely destructive to the planet, releasing carbon into the atmosphere, destroying vegetation, and harming human communities. Wildfires can occur for a variety of reasons. The main reason is drought, when there is no rain in an area for a long time. And this drought and dry vegetation create wildfires. Dry areas catch fire quickly. That's when wildfires occur. In most cases, the common natural cause of wildfires is lightning. Man-made causes include campfires, cigarette butts, or electrical appliances.

 

Harmful effects of wildfires

♦ Black smoke from wildfires releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which is a major cause of climate change, and can damage or disrupt ecosystems, thereby contributing to global climate change.

 

♦ Wildfires affect people directly and indirectly. Researchers say that hundreds of people die in wildfires every year. Many more people (tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands) are displaced. In many cases, they are permanently displaced. In addition, air pollution is harmful to human health. 

♦ Fires also cause extensive damage to animals. Most of the time, fires cause 'deforestation'. The destruction of the vegetation in these forest areas, which once served as habitat for animals, poses a threat to the survival of wildlife in the area.

 

♦ Wildfires can destroy homes, businesses, and other structures. Wildfires can damage the environment and ecosystems.

The 'global impact' of wildfires

 

Wildfires can cause significant damage to global climate. Wildfires can be caused by natural causes, but human activity and climate change have increased their frequency and intensity. In 2023, there were 15 major wildfires worldwide, destroying 9 million hectares of forest that year. 2023 was the worst year since the turn of the century. That year, Canada saw the largest wildfires, releasing billions of metric tons of greenhouse gases. The first major wildfire of 2024 began in the Amazon, known as the lungs of the world. That year, major fires were seen in British Columbia. Wildfires are frequently hitting regions in Europe. According to the Global Wildfire Information System, wildfires consume millions of hectares of forest every year. The figure below shows the total annual damage caused by these natural disasters since 2012:

There is no denying that ‘climate change’ is making the number of wildfires around the world worse. According to the United Nations, the number of wildfires could increase by almost 50 percent by the end of this century. While Western America, northern Siberia, central India and eastern Australia are already facing significantly more fires than they did a few decades ago. Here is information about the ‘devastating wildfires’ in history:

 

The history of wildfires on planet Earth is not new. According to scientists, the oldest recorded fire on Earth occurred about 420 million years ago. It has been identified from rocks and charcoal formed at the end of the Silurian period. In the history of human civilization, 'wildfires' have caused a large number of deaths in many countries of the world. Of these, two of the most deadly fires occurred in America. In the Great Fire of 1871, about 3,000 people lost their lives in the sporadic Peshtigo Fire, Chicago Fire, Michigan Fire, and Ontario Fire. On the other hand, the Great Fire of Connecticut in 1910 claimed 85 lives. The death toll in the Cloquet Fire in Minnesota in 1918 stood at 453. In the Great Fire of Canada in 1919, 11 people lost their lives. In 1987, the Black Dragon fires in China and Russia killed 211 people. In 2009, the Black Saturday bushfires in Australia killed 173 people and the Miramichi fires in Canada killed 160. In addition, the Manitoba wildfires in Canada in 1989 destroyed 1.3 million acres of land. Even the Richardson Backcountry Fire in 2011 burned down about 1.7 million acres of boreal forest. The 2019/2020 Australian bushfires destroyed thousands of buildings and claimed the lives of 3 billion animals, including dozens of people. The loss of 61,000 koalas was extremely heartbreaking. The 2024 Texas wildfires in the United States burned about 1 million acres of land. These records of such terrible fires or fires still shake the foundation of confidence in the development of civilization. It is worth noting that forest fires are considered a common natural disaster in certain regions. For example, Siberia (Russia), California, Washington, Oregon, Texas, Florida (USA), British Columbia (Canada) and Australia. Areas with a Mediterranean climate or taiga biosphere are especially vulnerable to fires. Generally, if any fire is under control, it is considered part of the ecosystem. When it gets out of control, it becomes devastating. Experts say that the biggest reason why fires have become destructive in recent times is climate change.

Thomas Fire

 

In December 2017, the Thomas Fire, caused by a power line, burned north of Santa Paula, California. An unprecedented disaster, the Thomas Fire in California spread at record speed. It spread across Ventura and Santa Barbara counties in the state and burned more than 440 square miles. It was one of the largest fires ever recorded in California. It killed two people, a firefighter and a civilian. The fire was brought under control 40 days after it started near Santa Paula. The fire had previously destroyed more than 1,000 structures.

 

Cedar Fire

 

Another wildfire in California, USA, also took a devastating turn in 2003. The fire originated in the Cleveland National Forest in the state. According to the fire investigation team, the fire, due to dry weather and strong winds in Southern California, spawned more than a dozen wildfires; which spread to San Diego County from October 25, 2003 to November 5, 2003. The fire burned more than 270,000 acres and claimed 15 lives. At the time, the Cedar Fire was the largest and most destructive wildfire in California.

 

The Great Fire (In 1910)  

 

The Great Fire is one of the most famous disasters in the United States in the 19th century. It was the largest wildfire in US history. This great fire, also known as the Big Burn or the Big Blowup, had devastating consequences. The wildfire burned 3 million acres of land in the western United States (east of Wallace, Idaho). It killed 87 people, most of them firefighters. The fire affected the country's Forest Service, which led to the creation of fire protection laws. Smokey the Bear was also involved. 

 

Black Friday Bushfires 

 

The 1939 'Black Friday' bushfires are considered one of the worst bushfires in Australian history. They destroyed nearly 5 million acres of land in the state of Victoria. The fires, fueled by years of drought, high temperatures and strong winds, spread across three-quarters of the state and killed 71 people, making them Australia's third deadliest bushfires. They burned from 13 January to 18 January 1939. 

Siberian Taiga Fires

 

When a wildfire breaks out, it doesn't necessarily burn everything in a matter of hours or days. A prime example is the Siberian Taiga Fires. They started in the taiga forests of eastern Siberia during a hot summer. They have been burning in small sparks since May 2022. They have spread across Siberia, eastern Russia, northern China, and northern Mongolia. They have destroyed 55 million acres (22 million hectares) of land. They have released around 450 million tons of carbon dioxide.

 

Chinchaga Fire 

 

This fire, also known as the Wisp Fire or Fire Nineteen, burned in northern British Columbia and Alberta from June 1950 until early autumn. It is considered one of the largest fires in North America. Its impact on people was limited because the area was sparsely populated. However, it continued to burn freely. It burned about 4.2 million acres (1.7 million hectares) of boreal forest. The smoke from it is called the Great Smoke Paul because it blocked out the sun for about a week.