Global Wildfires Escalate. What Is the Cause And How Can We Change That?
Wildfires have become a symbol of the climate crisis, frequently highlighted by the media. Despite this, many fires are harmless and even beneficial to ecosystems. Currently, the Izmir region in Türkiye is suffering from one of the worst wildfires the region has faced. And this is just one of thousands that regions across the globe are facing this year.
However, not all fires are the same. While most are small, some release massive amounts of energy. These extreme fires can inject smoke plumes into the atmosphere akin to volcanic eruptions, releasing significant carbon stores and causing severe damage to ecosystems and communities.
Extreme Fires on the Rise
Our recent research, published in Nature Ecology and Evolution, confirms that energetically extreme wildfires have increased globally over the past two decades. We analysed 88 million wildfire observations from NASA's MODIS satellites, which record fire radiative power. The data shows a strong upward trend in extreme fire events from 2003 to 2023.
The frequency and intensity of these fires more than doubled during this period. The past seven years included six of the most extreme years recorded. This increase aligns with global heating trends, with 2023 setting temperature records and experiencing the most intense fires.
Northern Hemisphere and Australia Hit Hard
The northern hemisphere's temperate conifer forests and boreal forests saw the fastest increases in extreme fires. These fires released vast amounts of smoke and carbon, exacerbating warming. Last year, Canadian fires blanketed millions in the eastern United States with dangerous smoke.
Australia also experienced significant extreme fire activity. The 2019-2020 Black Summer bushfires were devastating, coinciding with record heat and drought. In 2023, northern Australia saw an even larger area burned than during Black Summer due to extensive grass growth following heavy rains.
Nighttime Fires Increasing
The rate of increase in extreme fires was fastest at night. Rising nighttime humidity usually slows fire growth, but this trend means firefighters get less respite at night. This pattern was evident in last year's early-season fires in Queensland.
Climate Change's Role
Climate change is a major factor behind the rise in extreme fire events. It causes drier air over land, making fuel more combustible and leading to longer summers with worse fire weather. Last year was 1.48°C hotter than pre-industrial levels, hinting at what 1.5°C warming might look like under the Paris Agreement.
How can we affect a change?
Manage the Ecosystem
The way we manage ecosystems also contributes to extreme fires. Suppressing almost all fires has led to fuel build-up in some areas, making forests prone to burning under severe conditions when suppression becomes impossible.
Adapting Fire Management
Fire is essential for many ecosystems' health, so we must adapt our management practices for a heating climate. Indigenous Australians have long used low-intensity fire regimes tailored to local ecologies. Reintroducing such practices could help manage fuel loads effectively.
Discover New Techniques for Fire Management
Emerging techniques like mechanical thinning show promise for reintroducing controlled fire into overgrown areas near urban fringes. Combining mechanical thinning with controlled burns could reduce fire risks and allow cooler fire regimes again.
While some may be uneasy about using chainsaws or goats for vegetation management near their homes, adapting to our new climate requires open-minded testing of all available tools based on local ecological contexts.
The global area burned by wildfires may be declining in some regions, but extreme fires are increasing. Addressing this requires a multi-faceted approach: slowing climate change while rapidly adapting how we manage both built and natural landscapes.
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