Wildfires Are More Extreme in Europe and North America, but Global Burning Is Oddly Decreasing
Fire agencies say hotter, drier conditions and a fast-developing El Niño could bring earlier fire danger and strain global crews and aircraft.
- Australia is bracing for an earlier bushfire season as the Bureau of Meteorology declared an El Nino event in June, driving higher temperatures and lengthening fire seasons on the east coast.
- NSW Rural Fire Service commissioner Trent Curtin noted a positive Indian Ocean Dipole may develop through winter and spring, historically linked to Victoria's driest years and most significant fire seasons.
- Greg Mullins, a former commissioner of Fire and Rescue NSW, warned that climate change causes fires to behave unpredictably, with hotter weather drying soil and plants faster than before.
- Four local government areas—Glen Innes, Inverell, Tenterfield LGA, and Clarence Valley—are bringing their fire seasons forward to August 1, two months ahead of the official October 1 start date.
- Proactive mitigation, including prescribed burns and public education, is essential as climate change intensifies 'fire weather' and human populations expand into combustible landscapes, experts say.
20 Articles
20 Articles
Associated Press News
Wildfires are more extreme in Europe and North America, but global burning is oddly decreasing
Experts say the world is experiencing two opposing fire trends because of human impact. Wildfires in Europe, Canada and the U.S. are high, and flirting with record levels in Europe.
Sydney Morning Herald
How extreme weather in Europe and North America is signalling a new era of fire danger for Australia
Firefighters in Europe are now being confronted with the sort of catastrophic conditions that have become more common in Australia over recent years.
Scientists uncover wildfire paradox that’s putting 440 million people in danger
A massive global study uncovered a striking paradox: even as total burned land has dropped by more than a quarter since 2002, human exposure to wildfires has skyrocketed. Africa accounts for a staggering 85% of these exposures, while California stands out as an extreme hotspot despite its relatively small share of burned land. Climate change is fueling more intense fire weather, population growth is pushing communities into fire-prone landscapes…
Analysts point out that, despite increasingly extreme fires in Europe and North America, global statistics are at a low historical level, largely because Africa and Asia have managed to control fires better.
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