Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 5, 2026
09:27
Wind Tunnel Experiments to Study Chaparral Crown Fires
Published on: November 14, 2017
9.3K
Increasing global human exposure to wildland fires despite declining burned area
Seyd Teymoor Seydi1, John T Abatzoglou2, Matthew W Jones3
1Department of Civil Engineering, Boise State University, Boise, ID, USA.
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|August 21, 2025
Summary
Human exposure to wildland fires has increased 40% globally, driven by more homes near wildlands. Despite less burned area, increased colocation means greater risk, especially in Africa.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Public Health
- Climate Change
Background:
- Half the global population lives in wildland-urban interfaces.
- Human exposure to wildland fires is a growing concern.
- Wildland fire impacts on human populations are not fully quantified.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify global human exposure to wildland fires from 2002 to 2021.
- To identify drivers of increased human exposure.
- To highlight regional disparities in wildland fire exposure.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of global population data and burned area statistics.
- Assessment of human settlement proximity to wildland fire events.
- Statistical modeling to determine factors influencing exposure.
Main Results:
- Global population exposure to wildland fires increased by 40% from 2002 to 2021.
- Increased colocation of human settlements and fires doubled exposure per unit burned area.
- Africa accounted for 85% of global exposures, despite greater attention on North America, Europe, and Oceania.
Conclusions:
- Wildland fire exposure is increasing due to human settlement patterns, not just burned area.
- Population dynamics contribute significantly to overall exposure.
- Targeted fire resilience strategies are crucial for high-risk regions, particularly in Africa.
Related Concept Videos
01:14The Carbon Cycle
39.7K
Carbon is the basis of all organic matter on Earth, and is recycled through the ecosystem in two primary processes: one in which carbon is exchanged among living organisms, and one in which carbon is cycled over long periods of time through fossilized organic remains, weathering of rocks, and volcanic activity. Human activities, including increased agricultural practices and the burning of fossil fuels, has greatly affected the balance of the natural carbon cycle.
39.7K
01:50Global Climate Change
24.7K
Throughout its ~4.5 billion year history, the Earth has experienced periods of warming and cooling. However, the current drastic increase in global temperatures is well outside of the Earth’s cyclic norms, and evidence for human-caused global climate change is compelling. Paleoclimatology, the study of ancient climate conditions, provides ample evidence for human-caused global climate change by comparing recent conditions with those in the past.
24.7K
01:50Threats to Biodiversity
22.9K
There have been five major extinction events throughout geological history, resulting in the elimination of biodiversity, followed by a rebound of species that adapted to the new conditions. In the current geological epoch, the Holocene, there is a sixth extinction event in progress. This mass extinction has been attributed to human activities and is thus provisionally called the Anthropocene. In 2019 the human population reached 7.7 billion people and is projected to comprise 10 billion by...
22.9K
01:24Biodiversity and Human Values
13.4K
Human civilization relies on biodiversity in many ways. Sudden changes in species biodiversity result in environmental changes that can modify weather patterns and therefore human civilizations.
13.4K
02:26Ecological Disturbance
17.5K
An ecological disturbance is a temporary disruption in the environment resulting from abiotic, biotic, or anthropogenic factors, causing a pronounced change in an ecosystem. The impact of an ecological disturbance, which can depend on its intensity, frequency, and spatial distribution, plays a significant role in shaping the species diversity within the ecosystem.
17.5K
02:31Habitat Fragmentation
17.9K
Habitat fragmentation describes the division of a more extensive, continuous habitat into smaller, discontinuous areas. Human activities such as land conversion, as well as slower geological processes leading to changes in the physical environment, are the two leading causes of habitat fragmentation. The fragmentation process typically follows the same steps: perforation, dissection, fragmentation, shrinkage, and attrition.
17.9K