A new study published in Nature Cities has revealed that climate change is intensifying the threat of urban fires worldwide, with cities facing a significant rise in fire incidents if global temperatures continue to climb.
Fire Risk Increases with Rising Temperatures
Researchers analyzed fire data and maximum temperatures from over 2,800 cities across 20 countries, covering 20% of the global population. The study found that if global warming exceeds 4°C, the world could witness:
- 300,000 fire-related deaths and over a million injuries by 2100.
- A 22.2% rise in outdoor fires and an 11.6% increase in vehicle fires.
- A 3.3% increase in vehicle fires and a 6.9% rise in outdoor fires for every 1°C rise in temperature.
- Building fires, however, may decline by 4.6% due to better fire •prevention measures.
The strongest link between urban fires and climate change was observed in New Zealand, where city fires could increase by 40% by 2100 if warming surpasses 4°C.
Call for Better Fire Prevention
Researchers suggest that improved fire fuel management and new prevention strategies could reduce fire-related risks. However, they also note that lack of data from Africa and South America limits the study’s global scope. Additionally, the rising adoption of electric vehicles may introduce new fire risks that require further investigation.
Limiting global warming to below 1.5°C could cut fire-related deaths and injuries by half, highlighting the urgent need for climate action to mitigate fire risks in urban areas.