There are now fewer wildfires than in the past

Myth:

There are fewer wildfires globally now than 20 years ago. In fact, the incidence of fire has declined by 15 percent over the past two decades, so there is nothing to worry about.

Fact:

It’s true that there are fewer wildfires today than 20 years ago, but this figure is misleading. Two thirds of all such fires are in Africa, and these have declined over the past two decades. But this is not because climate change is benign, but because of increased farming, which has reduced the areas where fires take place. It is also because the changing climate has increased precipitation in tropical Africa, thereby reducing the incidence of fire. By contrast, in the temperate and boreal forests of Europe, Australia and North America, fires have become more frequent and more intense. 

One of the devastating bushfires that ravaged the east coast of Australia in 2019-20. [Source: Wikimedia Commons]

Sources:

Fiona Harvey, “Australia’s bushfires are harbinger of planet’s future, say scientists,” The Guardian, 14/1/20

Jack Guy, “Boreal forests could be a planet-warming ‘time bomb’ as wildfires expand, says new study,” CNN, 2/3/23

Graham Readfearn, “The world likely just had its hottest month on record. What a time to be a climate science denier,” The Guardian, 3/8/23

“Wildfires and climate change,” NASA. https://science.nasa.gov/earth/explore/wildfires-and-climate-change/