The fires that have ravaged the Los Angeles area in Southern California, USA, since early January, are a stark reminder of this escalating threat, following a succession of devastating blazes in North America, Europe and beyond in recent years. Fuelled by a combination of drought, high winds, and a buildup of dry vegetation as climate change impacts intensify, the fires have already caused widespread destruction, claiming lives, destroying thousands of homes, infrastructure, and damaging ecosystems.
As part of a multi-pronged approach, strengthened sustainable forest management efforts will be crucial to limit fire risk and build resilience to future blazes, UNECE forestry experts have highlighted.
Rising wildfire risk
The 2025 Los Angeles fires are not an isolated incident. Recent years have seen major fire events in the western United States, Canada, the Russian Federation, countries of Southern Europe, and elsewhere. These fires characterized by increasing size, speed, and intensity. These wildfires have been a growing concern throughout much of the northern hemisphere, particularly in western North America, highlighting the need for enhanced understanding of wildfire dynamics at multiple scales, from local to international, and supported by sound data.
Figure 1
Area burned in wildland fires in the United States, 1983-2022
Source: National Interagency Fire Center
In the most fire-prone areas, the central question will often be how we can live with fire as opposed to how we can eliminate it. How we answer this question will be driven by a confluence of factors, including:
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Climate change impacts: rising temperatures, drier conditions, and more frequent heat waves due to climate change are creating ideal conditions for wildfires to ignite and spread rapidly. Drought-stricken forests become tinderboxes, with parched vegetation ready to ignite at the slightest spark.
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Unintended consequences of fire suppression measures: fire suppression policies implemented since the early 20th century have prevented natural fires that would have cleared out brush and debris. This has resulted in forests becoming overgrown with flammable materials. This built-up fuel creates a perfect environment for larger, more intense fires to erupt.
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Encroachment on wildlands: as human populations continue to grow, the rise in residential development in areas bordering forests puts more people and property at risk from wildfires.
The impact of wildfires is far-reaching. They cause immense environmental damage, destroying ecosystems and wildlife habitats. The smoke from these fires can travel long distances, impacting air quality and public health. On top of the huge cost of fire damage, fire suppression measures also place strain on financial resources, including on forest agencies' budgets for which they account for a growing share.
Targeted measures to strengthen resilience
Combating this growing threat requires a multi-pronged approach. Sustainable forest management practices need to be adapted to address the changing environment. Prescribed burns, controlled fires intentionally set to clear undergrowth, can be a valuable tool to reduce wildfire risk. Additionally, creating fire-resistant communities by using fire-safe building materials and proper landscaping techniques in high-risk areas is crucial. Policies must also be informed by high quality data, for which reporting of forest damage - supported by UNECE guidance - plays a vital role.
These efforts must go hand in hand with strengthened climate change mitigation to curb wildfire risks in the long term. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions, transitioning to renewable energy sources and sustainable water management are essential to building the resilience of societies and ecosystems, and can help mitigate the impacts of climate change on wildfire activity.
To learn more
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UN forest podcast "Wildfires and Forest" hosted by Jodi-Ann Wang at https://unece.org/media/news/384005
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UN forest podcast "Climate change Forest" hosted by Michelle Yeoh at https://unece.org/media/Forestry/press/381390
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UNECE study "Reporting on forest damages and disturbances in the UNECE region", https://unece.org/info/publications/pub/391138
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UNECE data and knowledge platform "|INForest", including information on forest fires in countries of the UNECE region at: https://forest-data.unece.org/
