Europe is battling one of its most severe wildfire emergencies as devastating blazes continue to spread across Spain and France, forcing mass evacuations and stretching emergency services to their limits.

In eastern Spain, firefighters worked tirelessly to contain a deadly wildfire near Valencia, where one person lost their life. Dramatic visuals show emergency crews using helicopters and water tankers to battle flames as nearby buildings and landscapes were left covered in ash. Authorities say the blaze in Manises has been brought under control, but smoke continues to pose health risks for residents.

Europe Wildfires rage on: Spain & France battle deadly blazes | Thousands evacuated 

France and Spain are battling one of the worst wildfire emergencies in recent years as extreme heat, dry conditions, and powerful winds fuel massive blazes across Western Europe.

In France, thousands of residents have been evacuated after wildfires burned more than 14,000 hectares, forcing people to flee by land and sea. Tourist destinations have also been affected as emergency crews race to contain the flames.

In Spain, firefighters are battling fast-moving wildfires near Madrid and other regions, while authorities have declared emergency measures. NASA even evacuated one of its deep-space communication facilities as flames approached the area. European Union countries have deployed specialized firefighting aircraft to support efforts across both nations.

Europe Wildfire Crisis | France and Spain Battle massive blazes amid extreme heat

A dramatic video shows a train surrounded by towering wildfire flames as crews rushed to safety during Canada's ongoing wildfire emergency. Authorities said rail operations were disrupted as more than 100 active wildfires continued to burn across the country, forcing precautionary measures and raising safety concerns. The incident highlights the growing impact of Canada's wildfire season on transportation networks, communities, and air quality. Emergency crews remain on high alert as firefighters battle rapidly spreading blazes fueled by dry conditions and strong winds.

Canada wildfires surround train as massive fires disrupt rail operations across the country 

<p>Wildfires across the world have surged to record levels in 2026, with scientists warning that worsening heat extremes and the return of El Niño conditions could intensify the crisis in the months ahead. From Africa and Asia to parts of North America, vast stretches of land have already burned this year, underlining the growing impact of climate change on global fire patterns.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>According to scientists cited by Reuters, more than 150 million hectares have burned globally between January and April this year, around 20 per cent higher than the previous record for the same period. Researchers said the scale of the outbreaks reflects increasingly volatile weather conditions driven by rising global temperatures.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>ALSO READ: </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/world-telecommunications-day-fast-net-wider-access-lower-costs-how-india-expanded-internet-access-over-the-last-decade-1778573569086"><strong>World Telecommunications Day| Fast net, wider access, lower costs: How India expanded internet access over the last decade</strong></a></p><h3>Africa and Asia see sharp rise in fires</h3><p>Africa has recorded the largest area affected, with nearly 85 million hectares burned so far in 2026. Scientists said unusually heavy rainfall in previous months increased vegetation growth, which later became fuel during prolonged dry conditions and extreme heat. The continent’s burned area is estimated to be 23 per cent above previous highs.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>According to Reuters, Asia has also experienced severe fire activity. Around 44 million hectares have burned across the region, exceeding the previous 2014 record by roughly 40 per cent. Countries including India, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and China have all faced intense fire outbreaks linked to prolonged heat and dry conditions.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>ALSO READ: </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/-a-single-missile-multiple-warheads-multiple-targets-india-successfully-tests-advanced-agni-missile-with-mirv-system-1778333872576"><strong>'A single missile, multiple warheads, multiple targets': India successfully tests Advanced Agni missile with MIRV system</strong></a></p><h3>El Niño raises fears of worsening extremes</h3><p>Scientists said conditions may deteriorate further as the northern hemisphere enters summer and El Niño develops in the Pacific Ocean. The World Meteorological Organisation expects El Niño conditions to emerge from May, increasing the likelihood of droughts, heatwaves and further wildfire outbreaks globally. Researchers warned that countries including Australia, Canada and the Amazon rainforest could face heightened fire risks later this year. Scientists described the projected heat extremes as potentially “unprecedented”, reflecting the growing interaction between climate change, extreme temperatures and prolonged drought.</p><p>&nbsp;</p>

The World Meteorological Organisation expects El Niño conditions to emerge from May, increasing the likelihood of droughts, heatwaves and further wildfire outbreaks globally.

Wildfires across the world have surged to record levels in 2026, with scientists warning that worsening heat extremes and the return of El Niño conditions could intensify the crisis in the months ahead. From Africa and Asia to parts of North America, vast stretches of land have already burned this year, underlining the growing impact of climate change on global fire patterns. According to scientists cited by Reuters, more than 150 million hectares have burned globally between January and April this year, around 20 per cent higher than the previous record for the same period. Researchers said the scale of the outbreaks reflects increasingly volatile weather conditions driven by rising global temperatures. ALSO READ: World Telecommunications Day| Fast net, wider access, lower costs: How India expanded internet access over the last decade Africa and Asia see sharp rise in fires Africa has recorded the largest area affected, with nearly 85 million hectares burned so far in 2026. Scientists said unusually heavy rainfall in previous months increased vegetation growth, which later became fuel during prolonged dry conditions and extreme heat. The continent’s burned area is estimated to be 23 per cent above previous highs. According to Reuters, Asia has also experienced severe fire activity. Around 44 million hectares have burned across the region, exceeding the previous 2014 record by roughly 40 per cent. Countries including India, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and China have all faced intense fire outbreaks linked to prolonged heat and dry conditions. ALSO READ: 'A single missile, multiple warheads, multiple targets': India successfully tests Advanced Agni missile with MIRV system El Niño raises fears of worsening extremes Scientists said conditions may deteriorate further as the northern hemisphere enters summer and El Niño develops in the Pacific Ocean. The World Meteorological Organisation expects El Niño conditions to emerge from May, increasing the likelihood of droughts, heatwaves and further wildfire outbreaks globally. Researchers warned that countries including Australia, Canada and the Amazon rainforest could face heightened fire risks later this year. Scientists described the projected heat extremes as potentially “unprecedented”, reflecting the growing interaction between climate change, extreme temperatures and prolonged drought.

<p>The World Meteorological Organisation expects El Niño conditions to emerge from May, increasing the likelihood of droughts, heatwaves and further wildfire outbreaks globally.</p>

Over 150 million hectares burnt! Global wildfires hit record high in 2026 as extreme heat fuels climate fears

<p>In a striking visual representation of the ongoing wildfire crisis in Australia's Northern Territory, Earth observation scientist Robbi Bishop-Taylor from Geoscience Australia shared a timelapse animation of the crisis on X, formerly known as Twitter.</p>

<p>The animation illustrates the shocking extent of the fire-ravaged area that has been ablaze for the past two months.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The scale of the fires currently burning across northern Australia is pretty unfathomable.<br />
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This animation visualises just the last two months of fire captured by <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DEAHotspots?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DEAHotspots</a> - for context, the map covers an area larger than France, Spain and Germany combined... <a href="https://t.co/YBkOQP5xCK">pic.twitter.com/YBkOQP5xCK</a></p>
— Dr Robbi Bishop-Taylor 🛰️🌎🌊 (@SatelliteSci) <a href="https://twitter.com/SatelliteSci/status/1720253056762482706?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 3, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<h2><strong>Wildfire crisis in Australia</strong></h2>

<p>Authorities say&nbsp;that the current wildfire season is the most severe in decades.</p>

<p>So far it has engulfed a staggering 12.8 million hectares (31.6 million acres) of land in just a two-month period.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/australia-out-of-control-fires-prompt-evacuations-as-country-swelters-through-scorching-heat-641513">Australia: ‘Out of control’ fires prompt evacuations as country swelters in ‘scorching’ heat</a></strong></p>

<p>As recently as the last week, the&nbsp;Queensland residents faced evacuation orders due to crisis posed by the raging wildfires.</p>

<h2><strong>Why wildfires continue to rage on?</strong></h2>

<p>The El Niño weather event&nbsp;triggers extreme phenomena such as wildfires.</p>

<p>Northern Australia has also experienced scorching temperatures, prompting severe heatwave warnings in certain areas.</p>

<p>The dry and warm conditions provide ideal circumstances for the ignition and rapid spread of fires.</p>

<p>The risk is further escalated by above-average rainfall earlier in the year, leading to increased vegetation that becomes potential fuel for the fires.</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;</strong><strong>From floods to fires: Australia's growing climate crisis</strong></p>

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<p>As the soil dries out under intense heat, the vegetation becomes highly flammable, intensifying the ease with which fires can ignite and spread across.</p>

<p>This combination of factors has created a perilous situation in northern parts of Australia, leading to a surge in fires, some suspected to be deliberately lit. The environmental and communal impact in the region has been devastating.</p>

<h2><strong>Fire season in Northern Hemisphere</strong></h2>

<p>The crisis in Australia follows a catastrophic fire season in the Northern Hemisphere, marked by record-breaking temperatures fueled by human-induced climate change.</p>

<p>As heatwaves swept across Asia, Europe, and North America, experts predict that 2023 may become the hottest year on record.</p>

<p>In Europe, wildfires emitted a staggering 20 million tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.</p>

<p>Italy faced an unprecedented heatwave while Greece went through a period of&nbsp;worst wildfire on record.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


In a striking visual representation of the ongoing wildfire crisis in Australia's Northern Territory, Earth observation scientist Robbi Bishop-Taylor from Geoscience Australia shared a timelapse animation of the crisis on X, formerly known as Twitter.

In a striking visual representation of the ongoing wildfire crisis in Australia's Northern Territory, Earth observation scientist Robbi Bishop-Taylor from Geoscience Australia shared a timelapse animation of the crisis on X, formerly known as Twitter. The animation illustrates the shocking extent of the fire-ravaged area that has been ablaze for the past two months. The scale of the fires currently burning across northern Australia is pretty unfathomable. This animation visualises just the last two months of fire captured by #DEAHotspots - for context, the map covers an area larger than France, Spain and Germany combined... pic.twitter.com/YBkOQP5xCK — Dr Robbi Bishop-Taylor 🛰️🌎🌊 (@SatelliteSci) November 3, 2023 × Wildfire crisis in Australia Authorities say that the current wildfire season is the most severe in decades. So far it has engulfed a staggering 12.8 million hectares (31.6 million acres) of land in just a two-month period. Also read | Australia: ‘Out of control’ fires prompt evacuations as country swelters in ‘scorching’ heat As recently as the last week, the Queensland residents faced evacuation orders due to crisis posed by the raging wildfires. Why wildfires continue to rage on? The El Niño weather event triggers extreme phenomena such as wildfires. Northern Australia has also experienced scorching temperatures, prompting severe heatwave warnings in certain areas. The dry and warm conditions provide ideal circumstances for the ignition and rapid spread of fires. The risk is further escalated by above-average rainfall earlier in the year, leading to increased vegetation that becomes potential fuel for the fires. Also watch | From floods to fires: Australia's growing climate crisis × As the soil dries out under intense heat, the vegetation becomes highly flammable, intensifying the ease with which fires can ignite and spread across. This combination of factors has created a perilous situation in northern parts of Australia, leading to a surge in fires, some suspected to be deliberately lit. The environmental and communal impact in the region has been devastating. Fire season in Northern Hemisphere The crisis in Australia follows a catastrophic fire season in the Northern Hemisphere, marked by record-breaking temperatures fueled by human-induced climate change. As heatwaves swept across Asia, Europe, and North America, experts predict that 2023 may become the hottest year on record. In Europe, wildfires emitted a staggering 20 million tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Italy faced an unprecedented heatwave while Greece went through a period of worst wildfire on record. (With inputs from agencies)

Watch: Northern Australia seen burning in mapped animation amid raging wildfire crisis

Greek wildfires continue till third day, EU allies send aid

<p>Spain is battling more than 90 wildfires that are ravaging the nation's lush region of Asturias. Most of these wildfires are believed to have been intentionally started by arsonists that a leader of the regional government has branded ‘fire terrorists’.&nbsp;Following an unusually dry winter, and as average temperatures rise amid&nbsp;climate change, the Spanish government has expressed worry that more wildfires will flare up this year.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;Spain wildfire a sign of things to come | WION Climate Tracker</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/spain-wildfire-a-sign-of-things-to-come-wion-climate-tracker-576630/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>Taking to Twitter, Adrian Barbon,&nbsp;head of the regional government, wrote, "THEY ARE BURNING OUR ASTURIAS. We are dealing with real terrorists who are endangering lives, towns and cities."&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="es">NOS QUEMAN ASTURIAS<br />
Nos enfrentamos a auténticos terroristas que están poniendo en peligro vidas, pueblos y ciudades. <a href="https://t.co/PemIvmgkaf">https://t.co/PemIvmgkaf</a></p>
— 🌹 Adrián Barbón 💙💛 (@AdrianBarbon) <a href="https://twitter.com/AdrianBarbon/status/1641694934137700352?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 31, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>Currently, over 600 firefighters are fighting the various blazes. Over the past two days, dozens of fires have been put off by emergency services in Asturias and neighbouring Cantabria, however, over 90 are still to be doused.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Andres Perez, a 68-year-old Setienes local, told Reuters that he was certain that the fires were started intentionally, but he was unsure of the perpetrators' identities or motivations.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/spain-hundreds-evacuated-as-wildfire-rages-in-valencia-region-575337">Spain: Hundreds evacuated as wildfire rages in Valencia region</a></strong></p>

<p>"But what we do know is that it is a total ruin, both for the ecology, materially and for everything," he said.</p>

<p>Authorities also claim that most of the fires currently ravaging the region were sparked on purpose, and that fanned by strong winds, these wildfires have reached devastating proportions.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="es">‼️Asturias, en llamas 🔥.<br />
<br />
Hay centenares de incendios activos en todo el Principado, provocados intencionadamente.<br />
<br />
Los servicios de emergencia trabajan sin descanso para intentar controlar la situación.<a href="https://t.co/EqNRLwPZK9">https://t.co/EqNRLwPZK9</a><a href="https://t.co/4N3l3dQ2JS">pic.twitter.com/4N3l3dQ2JS</a></p>
— EM-electomania.es (@electo_mania) <a href="https://twitter.com/electo_mania/status/1641682902130860033?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 31, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>Police, as per Reuters, have opened multiple investigations into the wildfires, but are yet to identify any arsonists. In the past, pastoralists looking to expand the grazing area for their cattle have frequently been connected to intentional fires. Depending on the damage, a crime like arson can fetch the perpetrator up to 20 years in prison.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em><br />
<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

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<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


Spain is battling more than 90 wildfires that are ravaging the nation's lush region of Asturias. Most of these wildfires are believed to have been intentionally started by arsonists that a leader of the regional government has branded ‘fire terrorists’.

Spain is battling more than 90 wildfires that are ravaging the nation's lush region of Asturias. Most of these wildfires are believed to have been intentionally started by arsonists that a leader of the regional government has branded ‘fire terrorists’. Following an unusually dry winter, and as average temperatures rise amid climate change, the Spanish government has expressed worry that more wildfires will flare up this year. Watch | Spain wildfire a sign of things to come | WION Climate Tracker Taking to Twitter, Adrian Barbon, head of the regional government, wrote, "THEY ARE BURNING OUR ASTURIAS. We are dealing with real terrorists who are endangering lives, towns and cities." NOS QUEMAN ASTURIAS Nos enfrentamos a auténticos terroristas que están poniendo en peligro vidas, pueblos y ciudades. https://t.co/PemIvmgkaf — 🌹 Adrián Barbón 💙💛 (@AdrianBarbon) March 31, 2023 × Currently, over 600 firefighters are fighting the various blazes. Over the past two days, dozens of fires have been put off by emergency services in Asturias and neighbouring Cantabria, however, over 90 are still to be doused. Andres Perez, a 68-year-old Setienes local, told Reuters that he was certain that the fires were started intentionally, but he was unsure of the perpetrators' identities or motivations. Also read | Spain: Hundreds evacuated as wildfire rages in Valencia region "But what we do know is that it is a total ruin, both for the ecology, materially and for everything," he said. Authorities also claim that most of the fires currently ravaging the region were sparked on purpose, and that fanned by strong winds, these wildfires have reached devastating proportions. ‼️Asturias, en llamas 🔥. Hay centenares de incendios activos en todo el Principado, provocados intencionadamente. Los servicios de emergencia trabajan sin descanso para intentar controlar la situación.https://t.co/EqNRLwPZK9pic.twitter.com/4N3l3dQ2JS — EM-electomania.es (@electo_mania) March 31, 2023 × Police, as per Reuters, have opened multiple investigations into the wildfires, but are yet to identify any arsonists. In the past, pastoralists looking to expand the grazing area for their cattle have frequently been connected to intentional fires. Depending on the damage, a crime like arson can fetch the perpetrator up to 20 years in prison. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Spain’s Asturias battles over 90 wildfires; authorities say blazes intentionally sparked by ‘fire terrorists’

IN PICS | Wildfire rages across mountain in Thailand's Khao Laem National Park

<p>A landmark United Nations report has concluded that the risk of devastating wildfires around the world will surge in coming decades as climate change further intensifies what the report described as a “global wildfire crisis.”</p>

<p>The scientific assessment is the first by the organization’s environmental authority to evaluate wildfire risks worldwide. It was inspired by a string of deadly blazes around the globe in recent years, burning the American West, vast stretches of Australia and even the Arctic.</p>

<p>The images from those fires — cities glowing under orange skies, smoke billowing around tourist havens and heritage sites, woodland animals badly injured and killed — have become grim icons of this era of unsettled relations between humankind and nature.</p>

<p>“The heating of the planet is turning landscapes into tinderboxes,” said the report, which was published Wednesday by the U.N. Environment Program.</p>

<p>The report, produced by more than 50 researchers from six continents, estimated that the risk worldwide of highly devastating fires could increase by up to 57% by the end of the century, primarily because of climate change. The risks will not be distributed equally: Some regions are likely to see more fire activity, while others may experience less.</p>

<p>It is a stark warning about the increased heat and dryness that human-caused global warming is bringing about. Nations and localities need to prepare better for the dangers, the report’s authors said.</p>

<p>“There isn’t the right attention to fire from governments,” said Glynis Humphrey, a fire expert at the University of Cape Town and an author of the new report. More societies worldwide are learning the value of prescribed burns and other methods of preventing wildfires from raging out of control, she said. Yet public spending in developed nations is still heavily skewed toward firefighting instead of forest management.</p>

<p>In some regions with long histories of brush fires, such as eastern Australia and the western United States and Canada, they have become more intense over the past decade and are ravaging larger areas, the report found. But uncontrolled burning is also starting to occur in places where it had not been common before, such as Russia, northern India and Tibet. In parts of the savannas of sub-Saharan Africa, by contrast, fire activity has declined over the past two decades, partly because drought has killed off more grass.</p>

<p>While climate change is giving rise to more of the record warmth and dryness that have contributed to recent episodes of severe burning, the overall effect on fire risks is complex and can vary from place to place.</p>

<p>Researchers have determined that the extreme heat wave in the Pacific Northwest last year almost certainly would not have occurred without planetary warming caused by greenhouse-gas emissions. Scientists have also found the fingerprints of climate change on brush fires in Australia and extreme heat and burning in Siberia.</p>

<p>But hot weather and weak rainfall can also decrease the amount of vegetation that is available to feed fires. In other places, the decreased humidity can make vegetation more flammable, helping fires spread more easily.</p>

<p>After taking all these factors into account, the report still forecasts a significant increase in the global risk of extraordinary wildfires, even if nations manage to limit emissions of heat-trapping gases.</p>

<p>In a moderate scenario for global warming, the likelihood of extreme, catastrophic fires could increase by up to one-third by 2050 and up to 52% by 2100, the report estimates. If emissions are not curbed and the planet heats up more, wildfire risks could rise by up to 57% by the end of the century.</p>

<p>The increase in burning is projected to be especially large in places including the Arctic, said Douglas I. Kelley, a researcher at the UK Centre for Ecology &amp; Hydrology who conducted the data analysis for the report. The northern reaches of Russia and North America are already warming much more quickly than the rest of the globe. The intense Arctic fires of 2020 released more polluting gases into the atmosphere that June than in any other month in 18 years of data collection.</p>

<p>In more temperate regions of the United States and Asia, Kelley said, wildfires could increase as emissions rise because the higher amount of carbon dioxide in the air helps plants grow, resulting in more vegetation to fuel blazes.</p>

<p>The prolonged drought in the American West — the region’s worst, scientists say, in at least 1,200 years — has helped to spark wildfires earlier in the year. Forecasters are expecting the warmth and dryness to continue into this spring and beyond.</p>

<p>The U.N. report urges governments to become more proactive about fire hazards. Of every dollar spent in the United States on managing wildfires, almost 60 cents goes toward immediate firefighting responses, according to research cited in the report. Much less is spent on reducing fire risks in advance and helping communities recover in ways that could make them more resilient.</p>

<p>Peter Moore, a fire management consultant with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and an author of the report, said more countries could learn from Portugal, which drew up an ambitious national fire plan after two blazes killed more than 100 people in 2017. Decades of economic development there had caused a decrease in farmland and an expansion of poorly managed forests, making the landscape highly flammable.</p>

<p>“So when the wrong weather turned up, and then a series of ignitions happened, they had a series of dramatic and catastrophic fire events,” Moore said. In eastern Australia, western North America, Chile and elsewhere, he said, “those same conditions are starting to occur.”</p>

<p>Not all human development adds to fire risks. In the tropical grasslands of Africa, population density has increased, and farmers have converted more of the area into cropland and pasture. That has fragmented the savannas, making it harder for wildfires to spread. Researchers have used satellite data to estimate that, despite global warming, large decreases in Africa helped the total amount of burned land worldwide fall by a quarter between 1998 and 2015.</p>

<p>Many fires in Africa are set deliberately to clear away vegetation and avert wildfires that would be more severe and less controllable, said Humphrey of the University of Cape Town. Communities in many places have managed the land this way for centuries, and the U.N. report calls for such traditional knowledge to be better integrated into fire policies.</p>

<p>Humphrey said more governments needed to discover, or rediscover, what fire actually is: “something really critical for our planet, but that also needs to be managed.”</p>


A landmark United Nations report has concluded that the risk of devastating wildfires around the world will surge in coming decades as climate change further intensifies what the report described as a “global wildfire crisis.

A landmark United Nations report has concluded that the risk of devastating wildfires around the world will surge in coming decades as climate change further intensifies what the report described as a “global wildfire crisis.” The scientific assessment is the first by the organization’s environmental authority to evaluate wildfire risks worldwide. It was inspired by a string of deadly blazes around the globe in recent years, burning the American West, vast stretches of Australia and even the Arctic. The images from those fires — cities glowing under orange skies, smoke billowing around tourist havens and heritage sites, woodland animals badly injured and killed — have become grim icons of this era of unsettled relations between humankind and nature. “The heating of the planet is turning landscapes into tinderboxes,” said the report, which was published Wednesday by the U.N. Environment Program. The report, produced by more than 50 researchers from six continents, estimated that the risk worldwide of highly devastating fires could increase by up to 57% by the end of the century, primarily because of climate change. The risks will not be distributed equally: Some regions are likely to see more fire activity, while others may experience less. It is a stark warning about the increased heat and dryness that human-caused global warming is bringing about. Nations and localities need to prepare better for the dangers, the report’s authors said. “There isn’t the right attention to fire from governments,” said Glynis Humphrey, a fire expert at the University of Cape Town and an author of the new report. More societies worldwide are learning the value of prescribed burns and other methods of preventing wildfires from raging out of control, she said. Yet public spending in developed nations is still heavily skewed toward firefighting instead of forest management. In some regions with long histories of brush fires, such as eastern Australia and the western United States and Canada, they have become more intense over the past decade and are ravaging larger areas, the report found. But uncontrolled burning is also starting to occur in places where it had not been common before, such as Russia, northern India and Tibet. In parts of the savannas of sub-Saharan Africa, by contrast, fire activity has declined over the past two decades, partly because drought has killed off more grass. While climate change is giving rise to more of the record warmth and dryness that have contributed to recent episodes of severe burning, the overall effect on fire risks is complex and can vary from place to place. Researchers have determined that the extreme heat wave in the Pacific Northwest last year almost certainly would not have occurred without planetary warming caused by greenhouse-gas emissions. Scientists have also found the fingerprints of climate change on brush fires in Australia and extreme heat and burning in Siberia. But hot weather and weak rainfall can also decrease the amount of vegetation that is available to feed fires. In other places, the decreased humidity can make vegetation more flammable, helping fires spread more easily. After taking all these factors into account, the report still forecasts a significant increase in the global risk of extraordinary wildfires, even if nations manage to limit emissions of heat-trapping gases. In a moderate scenario for global warming, the likelihood of extreme, catastrophic fires could increase by up to one-third by 2050 and up to 52% by 2100, the report estimates. If emissions are not curbed and the planet heats up more, wildfire risks could rise by up to 57% by the end of the century. The increase in burning is projected to be especially large in places including the Arctic, said Douglas I. Kelley, a researcher at the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology who conducted the data analysis for the report. The northern reaches of Russia and North America are already warming much more quickly than the rest of the globe. The intense Arctic fires of 2020 released more polluting gases into the atmosphere that June than in any other month in 18 years of data collection. In more temperate regions of the United States and Asia, Kelley said, wildfires could increase as emissions rise because the higher amount of carbon dioxide in the air helps plants grow, resulting in more vegetation to fuel blazes. The prolonged drought in the American West — the region’s worst, scientists say, in at least 1,200 years — has helped to spark wildfires earlier in the year. Forecasters are expecting the warmth and dryness to continue into this spring and beyond. The U.N. report urges governments to become more proactive about fire hazards. Of every dollar spent in the United States on managing wildfires, almost 60 cents goes toward immediate firefighting responses, according to research cited in the report. Much less is spent on reducing fire risks in advance and helping communities recover in ways that could make them more resilient. Peter Moore, a fire management consultant with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and an author of the report, said more countries could learn from Portugal, which drew up an ambitious national fire plan after two blazes killed more than 100 people in 2017. Decades of economic development there had caused a decrease in farmland and an expansion of poorly managed forests, making the landscape highly flammable. “So when the wrong weather turned up, and then a series of ignitions happened, they had a series of dramatic and catastrophic fire events,” Moore said. In eastern Australia, western North America, Chile and elsewhere, he said, “those same conditions are starting to occur.” Not all human development adds to fire risks. In the tropical grasslands of Africa, population density has increased, and farmers have converted more of the area into cropland and pasture. That has fragmented the savannas, making it harder for wildfires to spread. Researchers have used satellite data to estimate that, despite global warming, large decreases in Africa helped the total amount of burned land worldwide fall by a quarter between 1998 and 2015. Many fires in Africa are set deliberately to clear away vegetation and avert wildfires that would be more severe and less controllable, said Humphrey of the University of Cape Town. Communities in many places have managed the land this way for centuries, and the U.N. report calls for such traditional knowledge to be better integrated into fire policies. Humphrey said more governments needed to discover, or rediscover, what fire actually is: “something really critical for our planet, but that also needs to be managed.”

Climate forecasters warn of a 'global wildfire crisis'

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