Wildfires: Why 2023 was a record year

The severe wildfires near Athens – here passers-by in front of a fire in the north of the capital a few days ago – are under control for the time being. But the fires are becoming increasingly destructive worldwide.

According to the latest data from the World Resources Institute (WRI), wildfires are getting worse. In 2023, flames destroyed almost twice as much tree area as 20 years ago. Global warming is an important driver. These wildfires also endanger important tropical forests, for example, in the Amazon region.

Last year, almost 12 million hectares of forest were destroyed by wildfires worldwide, an area roughly the size of Nicaragua. This means that 2023 surpassed the previous record from 2016 by 24 percent. This is according to data from the University of Maryland, analyzed by the World Resources Institute (WRI). The data shows that the area burned in 2001 was half as large.

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