The alarming rise of global wildfires is underpinned by the effects of climate change, as recent data indicates that forest fires have drastically intensified in frequency and severity. Scientists have reported that 2023 and 2024 are poised to become record-breaking years, significantly affecting ecosystems and air quality. The recent study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reveals the harrowing statistic that the area of forest canopy lost to fire in these years is double that of the previous nearly two decades. Climate scientist John Abatzoglou from the University of California Merced emphasized that rising temperatures are increasing the likelihood of extreme fire seasons, stating, “Climate change is loading the dice for extreme fire seasons like we’ve seen...There are going to be more fires like this.”
Analysis conducted using the LANDSAT satellite imaging has shown that globally, while overall land burned by wildfires has actually decreased due to human intervention in flammable landscapes like savannas and grasslands, the area of forests facing destruction has sharply risen. Notably, boreal forests have experienced more than double the canopy loss in 2023-24 compared with 2002-2024. Similarly, tropical forests reported a threefold increase in canopy destruction, while North American forests, primarily due to Canada’s extensive wildfires, faced a nearly fourfold loss in tree cover. As wildfires continue to escalate, their repercussions on air quality and climate stand to threaten ecosystems and human health worldwide.
Analysis conducted using the LANDSAT satellite imaging has shown that globally, while overall land burned by wildfires has actually decreased due to human intervention in flammable landscapes like savannas and grasslands, the area of forests facing destruction has sharply risen. Notably, boreal forests have experienced more than double the canopy loss in 2023-24 compared with 2002-2024. Similarly, tropical forests reported a threefold increase in canopy destruction, while North American forests, primarily due to Canada’s extensive wildfires, faced a nearly fourfold loss in tree cover. As wildfires continue to escalate, their repercussions on air quality and climate stand to threaten ecosystems and human health worldwide.