Record Global Fire Outbreaks Put Australia, Asia and the Amazon on Climate Watch
Scientists say fire outbreaks have hit record levels, with heat extremes and a developing El Niño raising risk across multiple continents.
SYDNEY | Record global fire outbreaks are putting Australia, Asia, the Amazon, Canada and the United States on climate watch as scientists warn that heat extremes and a developing El Niño could make 2026 one of the most dangerous fire years on record.
Reuters reported that fires from January to April burned more than 150 million hectares worldwide, about 20% above the previous record, according to data compiled by World Weather Attribution. Africa saw the most damage, while Asia recorded sharply elevated fire activity affecting countries including India, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and China.
The warning is not only about burned acreage. Fire outbreaks can damage air quality, public health, agriculture, transport, insurance markets, power systems and biodiversity. Smoke can travel across borders and affect cities far from the flames.
Scientists cited by Reuters warned that conditions could worsen as northern hemisphere summer approaches and El Niño strengthens. The World Meteorological Organization has expected El Niño conditions to begin in May, raising the chance of severe heat and drought patterns in vulnerable regions.
For Australia, the risk is both seasonal and historical. The country has lived through catastrophic fire seasons, and a global fire escalation adds pressure on emergency planning, land management, power resilience and public communication.
The confirmed story is that early-year global fire activity has already reached record levels. The unresolved question is whether governments and communities can prepare quickly enough before the highest-risk months arrive.
Additional Reporting By: Reuters; World Meteorological Organization
What this means
For readers, fire risk is now a global systems story: health, food, power, insurance and travel can all be affected.
The next watch points are El Niño strength, regional drought forecasts, air-quality alerts and wildfire preparedness in Australia, Canada, the U.S. and the Amazon.