Climate Change Fuels Rise in Amazon and Global Wildfires

A recent review highlights that human-caused climate change has made wildfires in the Amazon rainforests at least 20 times more likely. The report identifies notable fire events globally from March 2023 to February 2024. Researchers find significant contributions to global carbon emissions, with lasting implications for Earth's climate.

Human-caused climate change has significantly heightened the likelihood of wildfires in South America's Amazon rainforests, making such events at least 20 times more likely, a new review reveals.

The review, which examined fire activity globally from March 2023 to February 2024, identified staggering fire events, including record-breaking wildfires in Canada and Greece, as well as drought-driven fires in Amazon during September-November 2023 and January-February 2024.

The State of Wildfires report, published in Earth System Science Data, underscores the skyrocketing carbon emissions from wildfires worldwide, amounting to 8.6 billion tonnes of CO2 — 16% above average. The findings highlight the far-reaching and devastating implications of these fires on air quality and climate.

(With inputs from agencies.)