Posted on August, 27 2020

In April 2020, the number of fire alerts across the globe were up by 13% compared to last year – which was already a record year for fires. Persistent hotter and drier weather due to climate change, and other human factors such as land conversion for agriculture and poor forest management are the main drivers behind the increase.

Climate change and wildfires mutually reinforce each other, and the fires burning today in many parts of the world are bigger, more intense, and last longer than they used to. If current trends continue, there will be devastating long-term consequences on people, wildlife and the climate.

WWF's report, produced in collaboration with the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), takes a deeper dive into fire trends and what they mean for people and the planet, and sets out recommendations to address the key causes.