Geographical

Official magazine of the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG)

Wildfires

A bird in a tree afte a wildfire

Forest fire smoke is threatening bird diversity in North America, study finds

ByKhadeejah MasudSep 17, 2026
As wildfires become more frequent, their smoke is reducing bird diversity beyond the areas directly burned, according to a study conducted in North America
A Manggala Agni firefighter works to extinguish a land fire in Ogan Ilir Regency, South Sumatra, Indonesia, on August 15, 2026. The onset of a drier dry season amplified by El Nino, combined with illegal land-clearing activities, has driven a significant spike in forest and land fire hotspots across parts of Sumatra and Kalimantan

Indonesia experiencing world’s highest wildfire emissions

ByVictoria HeathSep 10, 2026
Wildfires in Indonesia are the most intense in 11 years, burning through forests and peatland in both Borneo and Sumatra
Climate change could triple the amount of area affected by wildfires, study finds

Climate change could triple the amount of area affected by wildfires, study finds

ByVictoria HeathSep 9, 2026
In a low emissions scenario, 39 per cent more land would be burned per year by the end of the century compared to average today
Aerial wildfire

How wildfires could push the climate crisis beyond repair

ByMarco MagriniSep 2, 2026
The warnings were clear, but the response fell short. Now intensifying wildfires threaten to push the climate crisis beyond repair
Raincloud over a landscape

Could cloud seeding make it rain and help fight wildfires?

ByGeographical ContributorAug 17, 2026
Could controlling the weather and 'rainmaking' become one of our most powerful weapons against devastating wildfires?
The new study led by the University of Cambridge has revealed that as our springs and summers get hotter and drier, the UK wildfire season is being stretched and intensified.

Geo explainer: The growing problem of UK wildfires

ByVictoria HeathJul 31, 2026
The Suffolk wildfire shows how wildfire season is becoming more intense in the UK
Wildfire burning

Firescapes in a warming world

ByGeographical ContributorJul 30, 2026

How firescapes are reshaping our landscapes, homes and the way we learn to survive as temperatures rise By Alastair Bonnett,…

Wildfires aerial

2025 wildfires were the costliest and most damaging on record, new research finds

ByVictoria HeathJun 3, 2026
New analysis shows record damages from wildfires in 2025, despite global area burned among lowest
Fires could emit more air pollution than previously estimated, study finds

Fires could emit more air pollution than previously estimated, study finds

ByVictoria HeathDec 30, 2025
Organic compound emissions from wildland fires could be 21 per cent higher than previously thought, according to study
Wildfires aerial

Global wildfires in 2024 destroyed an area larger than India

ByVictoria HeathOct 16, 2025

Extreme wildfires emitted more than eight billion tonnes of carbon dioxide during the 2024–2025 fire season Between March 2024 and…

Wildfires aerial view

Record-breaking Amazon fires in 2024 drive unprecedented carbon emissions

ByVictoria HeathOct 9, 2025

2024 wildfires released estimated 791 million tons of CO2 into the atmosphere, equivalent to total emissions of Germany A new…

fire fighters are controlling fire (4th August 2019) in peat swamp forest, southern Thailand

The burning issue of peat fires

ByBryony CottamApr 2, 2025
For the first time, scientists can accurately measure heat & intensity of ancient fires, offering crucial insights for managing environment today
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