Unprecedented: Climate change fuels a global surge in intense wildfires

Climate change is contributing to an increase in the frequency and intensity of wildfires worldwide. In particular, large coniferous forests in Canada, the United States, and Russia have seen a significant increase in extremely intense fires over the past 20 years. This trend has been confirmed through temperature data collected by satellites.

Researchers have found that the power of wildfires has increased both during the day and at night, with the most intense fires growing in number and strength globally. Specifically, in coniferous forests in Canada, the western United States, and Russia, the impact of these fires has been significant due to the abundance of conifers like spruce and pine in these regions.

A study published in the scientific journal Nature Ecology and Evolution compiled data on nearly 31 million forest fires over the past two decades. They identified about 2,900 extreme fires, with the frequency of these fires increasing 2.2 times between 2003 and 2023. The average intensity of the 20 most intense forest fires also rose by 2.3 times.

While researchers have not directly linked the increase in extreme fires to climate change, they acknowledge that rising temperatures are likely contributing to the drying out of ecosystems, making them more susceptible to fires. The growth of the strongest fires has been observed in large coniferous forests in North America and Russia, highlighting the global impact of this trend.

The data on forest fires has led researchers to conclude that climate change is affecting fire frequency and intensity worldwide. Regions like Australia and southern Europe may show a clearer emergence of extreme fires in the future as climate change continues to impact grassland ecosystems globally