Forest fires likely to continue to burn twice as much without ‘serious action’ on climate change

Elizabeth Goldman, co-director of Global Nature Watch, sheds light on the recent analysis of global forest fire trends. The findings reveal that forest fires are currently burning twice the amount of forest compared to two decades ago, with the past three years marking the worst in the recorded data. Goldman highlights that 2025, while somewhat lower than 2024, still saw a staggering 11 million hectares of forest, equivalent to the size of Guatemala, burn.

Despite this decrease, Rhett Butler, founder and CEO of Mongabay, cautions against viewing the reduction as a significant reprieve. He emphasizes that commodity agriculture and climate change remain the key drivers of this persistent forest loss. Goldman echoes this sentiment, stressing that without serious international action to combat climate change and address commodity-driven agriculture, the risk of forest fires will continue.

However, she does offer local mitigation strategies. She suggests sustainable forest management practices such as thinning and prescribed burns, fire breaks, and selective logging, all of which can help reduce the risk of large-scale fires without requiring the complete clearance of forests.