New Report Shows Wildfires Are Chelan County’s Largest Source of Emissions

An environmental report from the Chelan County Government found wildfires are the biggest producers of greenhouse gas emissions.

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Wildfires as the Leading CO2 Source

The report said massive plumes of smoke contain enough carbon pollution to dwarf all other sources of greenhouse gases generated in the county.

“High-severity wildfires release large volumes of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, eroding the long-term climate mitigation value of forests and rangelands,” the Chelan County greenhouse gas emissions report states. “These dynamics are relevant not only to greenhouse gas accounting but also to active management strategies such as forest thinning, prescribed fire, and biomass utilization — all of which aim to reduce catastrophic fire risk while preserving or enhancing long-term carbon outcomes."

How Emissions Compare Across Sectors

In 2023, wildfires released 1.54 million metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, compared to 337,000 metric tons of CO2 from building energy emissions and 385,000 metric tons of CO2 from transportation emissions. The 1.54 million metric tons of CO2 equates to about 59 percent of all CO2 generated in the county.

15 percent of CO2 came from transportation, 13 percent came from building energy, while agriculture, forestry and land use accounted for 11 percent. Waste and wastewater and industrial processes totaled two percent combined.

Fossil Fuel Emissions Breakdown

Approximately 722,000 metric tons of CO2 came from fossil fuel emissions. Of that, 33 percent came from gasoline, 29 percent from electricity, 20 percent from diesel, and 15 percent from natural gas.

The Role of Forest Management in Emissions

In 2022 alone, wildfire emissions in Chelan County totaled 2.2 million metric tons of CO2, which is equivalent to the annual emissions from more than 385,000 gas-powered cars.

Who Conducted the Chelan County Emissions Study

Chelan County Natural Resources partnered with Sustainable NCW and Our Valley Our Future to hire Parametric, a consulting firm, to conduct the study.

The analysis considered all significant emissions within the geographic boundaries of Chelan County, including the City of Wenatchee, which conducted its own emissions inventory.