Rising global temperatures driven by climate change are intensifying and prolonging wildfire seasons worldwide, necessitating improved forest management, public awareness, and urgent action to reduce fossil fuel emissions.

Wildfires are increasingly frequent and intense, with climate change playing a significant role in creating conditions conducive to fire outbreaks. While most wildfires are sparked by human activity, rising global temperatures fueled by greenhouse gas emissions exacerbate fire-prone conditions, such as extreme heat, dry weather, and drought. A phenomenon called "hydroclimate whiplash," where periods of extreme wetness are followed by severe dryness, has been identified as a key factor in the Los Angeles fires, which were preceded by a wet winter that spurred vegetation growth, later becoming fire fuel due to a record-dry summer in 2024. This trend is part of a global pattern, with wildfire seasons now extended by two weeks and fires occurring outside traditional seasons.
The impact of wildfires is immense, with recent events in California, Canada, and Brazil highlighting the scale of destruction. Rising temperatures have increased the area burned by wildfires in California by 172 percent in recent decades, while in Canada, wildfires in 2023 accounted for more than a quarter of global forest loss for the year. Boreal forests, which cover vast areas in countries like Russia and Canada, are particularly vulnerable, with climate change driving much of the increased fire activity. Globally, wildfires have doubled over the past 20 years, leading to devastating environmental and economic losses while threatening public health and biodiversity.
Experts stress the importance of proactive measures to reduce wildfire risk and improve response capabilities. Investments in early warning systems, better forest management practices, and public education are essential. Strategies include reducing monocultures, managing vegetation through prescribed burns or grazing animals, and implementing fire-resistant landscaping around homes. On a larger scale, addressing the root cause of rising temperatures—fossil fuel emissions—is critical. Organizations like the Union of Concerned Scientists have called on fossil fuel companies to take urgent action to reduce emissions and help mitigate the escalating wildfire crisis.
FULL STORY: How are wildfires connected to rising temperatures?

Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25,% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.

Placekeeping: Setting a New Precedent for City Planners
How a preservation-based approach to redevelopment and urban design can prevent displacement and honor legacy communities.

North Texas Transit Leaders Tout Benefits of TOD for Growing Region
At a summit focused on transit-oriented development, policymakers discussed how North Texas’ expanded light rail system can serve as a tool for economic growth.

Washington State Plans Ambitious ‘Cycle Highway’ Network
The state is directing funding to close gaps in its existing bike network and make long-distance trips more accessible.

Homeowners Blame PG&E for Delays in ADU Permits
The utility says it has dramatically reduced its backlog, but applicants say they still face months-long delays for approvals for new electrical work.

Rethinking Wildfire Defense: How a Landscape Approach Can Protect Neighborhoods
Post-fire analysis of the Eaton Fire reveals that a landscape approach — including fire-resistant vegetation, home hardening, and strategic planning — can help reduce wildfire risk, challenging assumptions that trees and plants are primary fire hazards.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Borough of Carlisle
Caltrans
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland