2024 Fires in the Northern Hemisphere

Whether sparked by lightning, intentional land-clearing, or human-caused accidents, wildland fires are burning longer and more often in some areas as the world warms.
Windblown Smoke in Southern California
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Windblown Smoke in Southern California

Strong Santa Ana winds carried the Mountain fire’s plume westward over the Pacific Ocean.

Published Nov 7, 2024

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Smoky Skies Over the Indo-Gangetic Plain
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Smoky Skies Over the Indo-Gangetic Plain

Annual fires contributed to hazy skies over northern Pakistan and India, causing schools in some areas to close.

Published Nov 4, 2024

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A Forest Fire in Western Wyoming
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A Forest Fire in Western Wyoming

A lightning-ignited blaze billowed smoke into the towns and valleys near Jackson.

Published Oct 9, 2024

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Weather-Making Fire Burns in Southern California
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Weather-Making Fire Burns in Southern California

Intense blazes, including the Line fire, supercharged afternoon convective clouds.

Published Sep 10, 2024

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Wildland Fires Scorch Idaho Wilderness
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Wildland Fires Scorch Idaho Wilderness

Burning for weeks, the Wapiti and Middle Fork Complex fires have charred tens of thousands of acres.

Published Sep 3, 2024

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Smoke Streams from Fires in Madeira
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Smoke Streams from Fires in Madeira

Heat and wind gusts helped the blazes spread through over 5,700 hectares of forest.

Published Aug 20, 2024

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Northwest Territories Ablaze
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Northwest Territories Ablaze

Boreal forests in this northerly Canadian territory have evolved to burn, but the increasing frequency of fires is putting ecosystems to the test.

Published Aug 13, 2024

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Smoke Fills the Slocan Valley
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Smoke Fills the Slocan Valley

In southeast British Columbia, Canada, a cluster of wildland fires surrounding Slocan Lake threatened villages and blanketed the region in smoke.

Published Jul 30, 2024

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After the Park Fire’s Rapid Growth
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After the Park Fire’s Rapid Growth

The Northern California blaze expanded at lightning speed amid record heat and high winds, leaving behind a vast burned area.

Published Jul 29, 2024

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Smoky Skies Across North America
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Smoky Skies Across North America

Hundreds of wildland fires lofted sky-dulling smoke over Canada and the United States.

Published Jul 25, 2024

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Fires Char the Siberian Arctic
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Fires Char the Siberian Arctic

Large wildland fires are burning in the tundra of northern Russia.

Published Jul 18, 2024

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Wildfire Scorches Eastern Oregon
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Wildfire Scorches Eastern Oregon

Fast-moving blazes tore through rangeland in the Pacific Northwest amid excessive heat.

Published Jul 15, 2024

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A Smoky Summer in Amur
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A Smoky Summer in Amur

Fires have been flaring periodically in this eastern region of Russia since May.

Published Jul 10, 2024

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Fires Char South-Central New Mexico
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Fires Char South-Central New Mexico

Wildland fires burned tens of thousands of acres near mountain communities including the village of Rudioso.

Published Jun 21, 2024

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Grass Fire Chars California
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Grass Fire Chars California

Strong winds and ample fuel helped spread flames over 14,000 acres of grassland in San Joaquin County.

Published Jun 5, 2024

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Smoke and Fire in British Columbia
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Smoke and Fire in British Columbia

Unusually early and intense fires are spreading rapidly amid drought and high winds.

Published May 13, 2024

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Fire in Southern Mexico
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Fire in Southern Mexico

More than 100 active fires burned across the country in late-March 2024, including this blaze near the border of Oaxaca and Chiapas.

Published Apr 2, 2024

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Fires in the Appalachians
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Fires in the Appalachians

Smoke billowed from multiple wildfires in the eastern U.S., fueled by dry and windy weather.

Published Mar 22, 2024

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Fires Char Cattle Country
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Fires Char Cattle Country

Ranchers in the Texas Panhandle recently faced a fire that charred more than 1 million acres.

Published Mar 5, 2024

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Amazon Forest Fires Rage in Roraima
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Amazon Forest Fires Rage in Roraima

Huge understory fires are spreading throughout the state in northern Brazil as drought and heat turn the rainforest into tinder.

Published Mar 1, 2024

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Fires in Guatemala
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Fires in Guatemala

The blaze near Quetzaltenango was one of several burning across the country.  

Published Feb 27, 2024

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