Climate

Strange, catastrophic landslides are kicking off across the far north

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Based on a feed excerpt; full article content has not been acquired. Source evidence retrieved 30/10/2026, 13:30:24 UTC.

Briefings

Scientists identified two catastrophic permafrost detachment slides in Canada's Northwest Territories, moving 30 million cubic yards of earth. These events, triggered by wildfires transforming permafrost in the 1990s, collapsed catastrophically within hours or days. The slides are embedded with frozen material up to 650 feet long and represent a new type of land collapse driven by permafrost thaw. Researchers note these features are expanding rapidly, potentially triggering further failures and releasing greenhouse gases through microbial decomposition.

Key points

• Two permafrost detachment slides were identified in the Northwest Territories, moving 30 million cubic yards of earth.
• The slides collapsed catastrophically within hours or days after wildfires transformed the permafrost in the 1990s.

Context

Permafrost detachment slides are a new type of land collapse where frozen soils degrade and fail catastrophically, distinct from rainwater-driven slides. These events are linked to wildfires that burned off vegetation, removing the thermal shield protecting permafrost. The research was conducted by scientists at the University of Alberta and University of Alaska Fairbanks, highlighting the rapid landscape changes in the region.

Limitations

The evidence covers only two specific events in the Northwest Territories, with limited data on the total extent of permafrost detachment slides globally. The study does not provide measurements of greenhouse gas emissions from these slides, nor does it characterize the full scale of permafrost thaw across the Northern Hemisphere.

Generated by Bittrees-hosted qwen35-2b sha256:aaf42c8b7c3c on 30/10/2026, 14:09:34 UTC. Based on publisher-provided feed evidence; may not cover the full original article. Check the source for details.

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