In 2023 and 2024, forest fires devastated over 78 million acres globally, marking these years as the hottest on record. The resulting fires not only spewed millions of tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere but also led to widespread air quality deterioration for many. Researchers attribute the alarming rise in extreme forest fires to climate change, with climate scientist John Abatzoglou from the University of California Merced stating, “Climate change is loading the dice for extreme fire seasons like we’ve seen. There are going to be more fires like this.”
A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reveals that the loss of forest canopy due to fire during these years was over double that of the previous two decades. The research team employed satellite imagery from the LANDSAT network to measure changes in tree cover from 2002 to 2024 against fire activity data, revealing the alarming extent of canopy loss.
While the area burned by wildfires has decreased generally due to human activities transforming landscapes into less flammable ones, forest fires have witnessed a dramatic rise. Specifically, boreal forests saw more than twice the canopy loss in 2023–24 compared to earlier years, while tropical and North American forests experienced even greater losses—three times and nearly four times, respectively. A significant factor for North American losses was attributed to extensive wildfires in Canada, suggesting that the effects of climate change on fire patterns and forest ecosystems are profound and growing.
As the world grapples with these shifts, the urgency for effective climate action and forest management strategies becomes increasingly critical. It highlights the need for indigenous knowledge and approaches, which often incorporate sustainable practices honed over centuries, to engage in protecting these vital ecosystems against the backdrop of changing climate conditions.
