Climate change could almost triple wildfire-burned area in Europe

Climate change could almost triple the area burned by wildfires across Europe by the end of the century under a high-emissions scenario, as hotter, drier and windier conditions increase fire risks, according to a study released Thursday by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK).



The scale of the increase will depend largely on future emissions and the extent of global warming. Under a low-emissions scenario, the annual area burned is projected to increase by around 39 percent by the end of the century, while under a high-emissions scenario, the increase could reach 192 percent, the study found.



"Climate change is driving up fire activity across Europe as hot, dry and windy conditions become more severe," said Maik Billing, a PIK researcher and lead author of the study, which was published in the journal Global Change Biology.