Global wildfire activity re-visited

Abstract

Investments in wildfire management are increasing globally; however, frequent and intense fires continue to threaten humans and natural systems. Moreover, comprehensive assessments of fire damage and cost are lacking. Current fire risk is considered moderate compared to that under global warming of 1.5 °C. Several works link rising fire risk to the fire exclusion paradigm, land use, and climate change. The multifaceted nature of the global wildfire activity requires holistic, integrative perspectives to stimulate novel solutions. This review elucidated the transformative changes in the human-fire relationship that led to the globalization of the fire exclusion policies and emergence of a complex global fire activity. The use of fire in the impetus toward industrialization and its management thereafter was at the expense of millions dispossessed of their land, curtailing development of their knowledge domains, introducing inequality, and poverty, which enhanced the reliance on fire as a tool to meet the livelihood needs within a fire exclusion policy environment. Industrialization marked the beginning of climate change-fire positive feedback loops that enhanced vulnerability worldwide. Current evidence shows that not all frequently burnt areas are major sources of emissions. The potential to use fire exclusion for emission reduction could downplay further the role of fire in carbon storage, ecological processes and land use fire needs, increasing reliance on “covert fire use practices,” and exacerbating incidents of large fires that surpass fire suppression capabilities given the contribution of climate change on fire risk. The globally complex fire activity points to the need for adaptive, participatory, multi-level, polycentric governance approaches.