Myth: There are now fewer wildfires than in the past

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.