Climate change has resulted in record-breaking outbreaks of fire in Africa, Asia and elsewhere in 2026, with conditions expected to grow worse as the northern hemisphere's summer approaches and El Niño weather patterns kick in, Reuters reported.
Fires from January to April have already led to unprecedented levels of damage, burning more than 150mn hectares (370.66mn acres) of land, 20% more than the previous record, according to data compiled by World Weather Attribution, a research group that studies the role played by global warming in extreme weather events.
An El Niño event is expected to develop from mid-2026, impacting global temperature and rainfall patterns, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).