Unusually high temperatures and dry conditions are affecting various regions worldwide, including Algeria, Canada, France, Greece, Morocco, Spain, Tunisia, and the western United States. These conditions have resulted in a devastating wildfire season. Over the weekend, fast-moving wildfires erupted around Spokane, Washington, prompting the evacuation of nearly 65,000 residents. Persistent hot and dry weather, intensified by climate change, is contributing to the perilous conditions fueling these fires.
The fires are visually striking, their magnitude alarming, and the impact on human lives is already significant and growing. While the immediate causes of the fires, the types of vegetation affected, and the nearby communities vary widely, the underlying abnormal climatic conditions are evident everywhere.
Many lives have been lost, and valuable communities have been destroyed. Countless individuals have been forced to evacuate fire zones, and millions more have faced dangerous levels of wildfire smoke exposure. Unfortunately, more heat is expected, posing a deadly threat on its own and further exacerbating this extremely destructive wildfire season.
If these fires do not compel policymakers to implement necessary changes to address the fossil-fueled climate crisis, what will?
Wildfire conditions in the United States
The 2026 wildfire season in the United States began early and above normal. So far this year, nearly 5.3 million acres have burned nationwide, exceeding the 10-year average of 3.7 million acres for this period. On July 18, the National Preparedness Level was raised to 5, the highest level, indicating extreme fire dangers and the extensive resources committed to combat the fires.
Colorado, Nebraska, and Utah are among the states facing exceptionally challenging wildfire seasons this year. The Aspen Acres fire in Colorado, covering nearly 102,000 acres, has been burning for over a month. Recent rains have caused heavy flash flooding in the burned areas, carrying ash and debris across roads and into waterways.
Last week, Oregon had 31 large fires burning across 1.6 million acres. These include the Rowe Creek Complex fire covering over 320,000 acres, the Big Grass fire with over 337,000 acres, and the Coleman Creek fire spanning over 251,000 acres. Despite the severe situation, the Trump administration has denied FEMA Fire Management Assistance Grants for the East Evans Creek Fire and Rowe Creek Fire Complex. State Senators Merkley and Wyden have strongly criticized this decision and demanded explanations from the agency.
Washington currently has 13 large fires burning over nearly 204,000 acres, including the Kaiser Canyon fire, which has burned over 128,000 acres.
The latest fuels and fire advisory for the Pacific Northwest indicates that low snowpack and drought conditions have led to vegetation drying out much earlier than usual, resulting in extreme fire behavior. This situation creates intense fires that spread rapidly and are difficult to control, endangering people and infrastructure.
The most recent wildfire outlook for August predicts continued elevated fire risks in the Northwest, the upper Midwest, Texas, and southern Florida.
The world in flames
Numerous large wildfires are also burning across Canada, with nearly 900 fires reported. Over 9 million acres (3.76 million hectares) have burned so far this year, marking one of the nation’s worst seasons, particularly in Ontario.
France and Spain are enduring their worst wildfire seasons on record, with no relief as another intense heatwave sweeps across Europe, the fastest-warming continent. Approximately 300,000 people have been displaced by the fires, which are nearing major cities. Firefighters have lost their lives, and homes and livelihoods are being destroyed. New research from World Weather Attribution indicates that climate change is increasing the likelihood of hot, dry conditions that precede extreme fire weather, leading to these wildfires.
Northern Africa, although receiving less attention, is also experiencing major wildfires, causing deaths, prompting evacuations, and straining local firefighting resources in Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco.
Additionally, earlier this year, Southern hemisphere countries, including Australia, Chile, and Argentina, faced intense wildfires during their summer season.
While year-to-date carbon emissions from biomass burning in wildfires were at record lows in the first half of the year, this could change rapidly depending on the next few months of peak fire season in the northern hemisphere, especially regarding boreal fires.
Dangerous wildfire smoke
Throughout this year, smoke from wildfires in Canada and the western U.S. has covered areas up to hundreds of miles east and south, even reaching as far south as Florida last week. At times, over 100 million people were under alerts for pollution from wildfire smoke. Cities such as Chicago, Detroit, Toronto, and Milwaukee experienced hazardous levels of particulate matter pollution, which can cause heart and lung issues, worsen asthma, cause cancer, and even lead to death.
Research shows that wildfires’ contribution to PM2.5 pollution has been steadily increasing in the U.S. A recent study on the health impacts of wildfire smoke, driven by climate change, estimates that cumulative excess deaths from PM2.5 pollution could reach 1.9 million between 2026 and 2055.
Firefighters who spend prolonged periods exposed to hazardous smoke, often with minimal protection, face severe health risks. A 2025 investigative series by Hannah Dreier of the New York Times highlighted the toll this exposure is taking on young firefighters, who are becoming ill and dying from the toxic substances they encounter. The Forest Service and the Department of Interior have now begun providing N95 respirator masks to frontline firefighters in 2026.
Fossil fuel companies and the Trump administration: exacerbating the crisis
Despite the raging wildfires, fossil fuel companies are recording significant profits, supported by politicians eager to grant them freedom to continue their activities. These companies, along with their political allies, are advocating for legislation granting them immunity from legal and financial responsibility for the climate damage they have caused. Join us in opposing this: Tell Congress: No Immunity for Big Oil!
Additionally, the Trump administration’s cuts to the US Forest Service staffing and budget, closure of research stations, and chaotic reorganization plans for federal firefighting efforts are hindering efforts to address wildfire threats. Reports suggest that DOGE’s actions also delayed grants for forest thinning and fuels management efforts in Minnesota, an area now experiencing major fires.
The climate future we feared is here
This year, whether through catastrophic wildfires or relentless heatwaves, the consequences of climate change have become starkly apparent. Tens of thousands have died from extreme heat this year alone, with the highest toll in Europe and Asia. We’ve witnessed harrowing images of people fleeing for their lives and firefighters risking theirs in the face of immense wildfires. The sight of murky yellow skies and smoke-filtered sunsets signaling hazardous air quality has become too common.
It’s distressing to realize that the scientific facts were known decades ago, and policymakers could have acted to mitigate the evident harm. We cannot allow fossil fuel companies and indecisive politicians to dictate our future. We owe it to those affected by climate-fueled disasters today, and to future generations who will live with the consequences of our decisions, to take the necessary steps toward a safer, more sustainable path.
