Overview
- The University of East Anglia–led review, published May 31–June 1, 2026, found about 335 million hectares burned worldwide in 2025 and roughly 11 billion tonnes of wildfire CO2 emissions, both near the lowest levels since 2002.
- The study reports 2025 produced the highest insured wildfire losses on record, with wildfires accounting for roughly 38% of all insured natural‑hazard losses and the January Los Angeles Palisades and Eaton fires responsible for about $40 billion in insured claims and roughly $140 billion in total damages.
- Catastrophic blazes in North America, Europe and South Korea forced more than 300,000 people to evacuate and caused over 90 deaths as fires struck densely populated, asset‑rich areas and produced extreme smoke exposure.
- Canada’s boreal forests burned for a third straight high‑emissions year, releasing very large amounts of CO2 and raising the risk that these carbon‑rich ecosystems will degrade and shift from carbon sinks to net sources.
- Authors warn that simultaneous outbreaks strained international response systems and call for rapid fossil fuel emission cuts plus stronger adaptation measures such as proactive vegetation management, resilient planning, and improved evacuation and insurance strategies.