Weather & Science
The Worst Kinds of Wildfires Are Becoming More Frequent
Nearly half of the costliest fires around the world since 1980 happened over the past decade, according to new research.
Cars destroyed by wildfire on August 11, 2023, in Lahaina, Hawaii. The Lahaina fire killed 102 people.
Photographer: Justin Sullivan/Getty ImagesWildfire disasters are becoming more frequent and severe globally, costing more human lives and racking up more economic damage than in previous decades, according to a new study by the University of Tasmania.
The researchers, who published their work in the journal Science earlier this month, found over 43% of the costliest fires since 1980 happened in the past 10 years.