Wildfires have long been a persistent threat to ecosystems and human livelihoods. Amid accelerating climate change and shifts in land use, these blazes are becoming more intense, frequent, and harder to control. The United Nations warns that the frequency of extreme wildfires worldwide could surge by up to 50% by the end of the 21st century if current trends continue.
From the frozen taiga of Siberia and the drought-stricken landscapes of Australia to the lush Amazon rainforest, many regions have endured record-breaking wildfires that reshaped their environments. Below are 11 of the most destructive wildfires ever recorded, leaving lasting marks on the planet’s environmental history.
Over 22 million hectares of forest were destroyed due to a combination of record-breaking heatwaves and decades of logging. Smoke plumes reached as far as Kyoto, Japan, while emissions from the fires were comparable to the entire EU carbon reduction target under the Kyoto Protocol.
In New South Wales and Queensland, more than 42 million acres of forest were burned. Around 3 billion wild animals were killed or displaced, including over 61,000 koalas. Record heat, severe drought, and high winds fueled fires that spread beyond containment.
Over 150 separate wildfires in the Northwest Territories scorched nearly 3.5 million hectares. Smoke reached as far as Portugal, prompting Canada to issue nationwide air quality alerts.
A total of 701 fires consumed 2.6 million hectares of forest, driven largely by lightning strikes during an unusually hot and humid summer.
Over 5 million acres were burned, 71 people lost their lives, and hundreds of structures were destroyed. Ash from the fires traveled as far as New Zealand.
One of the largest wildfires in North American history, burning 1.7 million hectares of wilderness. The resulting “Great Smoke Pall” darkened skies and turned the sun blue across North America and parts of Europe.
More than 25,000 fires destroyed around 1.5 million hectares of forest, mostly in the Amazon region. The disaster was fueled by slash-and-burn farming practices combined with severe seasonal drought.
In Idaho and Montana, over 1.2 million hectares of forest burned, killing 85 people — mostly firefighters and residents. The tragedy spurred the creation of modern wildfire management systems in the US.
Nearly 688,000 hectares burned in Alberta, caused by human activity and worsened by extremely dry, windy conditions.
A total of 1,147 wildfires destroyed nearly 3.3 million hectares of forest, forcing over 24,000 people to evacuate.
The Smokehouse Creek Fire burned 4.7 million hectares, making it the largest wildfire in Texas history and the second-largest in US history by area burned.
Tiếng Việt
English
