Climate Change

Wildfire risk has increased, but we can still influence where and how fires strike

A wildfire raging

As the climate warms, droughts are becoming more severe increasing the likelihood of wildfires. Image: Unsplash/Ross Stone

Stefan H Doerr
Professor of Geography and Director of the Centre for Wildfire Research, Swansea University
Cristina Santín
Investigadora Ramón y Cajal, Instituto Mixto de Investigación en Biodiversidad, Universidad de Oviedo -CSIC
John Abatzoglou
Associate Professor of Engineering, University of California, Merced
Matthew William Jones
NERC Independent Research Fellow in Physical Geography, University of East Anglia
Pep Canadell
Executive Director, CSIRO
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Climate Change

Scientists can measure changes in fire weather (temperature, humidity, rainfall and wind) to rate the level of danger of a wildfire striking.
Scientists can measure changes in fire weather (temperature, humidity, rainfall and wind) to rate the level of danger of a wildfire striking. Image: Jones et al. (2022), Author provided/The Conversation
The number of days with extreme wildfire weather have become 54% more frequent at the global level.
The number of days with extreme wildfire weather have become 54% more frequent at the global level. Image: Jones et al. (2022), Author provided/The Conversation
Climate change is pushing wildfire risk into uncharted territory worldwide.
Climate change is pushing wildfire risk into uncharted territory worldwide. Image: Jones et al. (2022), Author provided/The Conversation

More extreme wildfires burn more vegetation, exacting a heavier toll on ecosystems.
More extreme wildfires burn more vegetation, exacting a heavier toll on ecosystems. Image: Unsplash/Egor Vikhrev
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Climate ChangeGlobal Governance
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