The most extreme wildfires have doubled in frequency since 2003

Global number of extreme wildfires

Trend

400

300

200

100

0

2003

2007

2011

2015

2019

2023

Global number of extreme wildfires

Trend

400

300

200

100

0

2003

2007

2011

2015

2019

2023

Global number of extreme wildfires

Trend

400

300

200

100

0

2003

2007

2011

2015

2019

2023

Global number of extreme wildfires

Trend

400

300

200

100

0

2003

2007

2011

2015

2019

2023

Guardian graphic. Source: Cunningham et al, Nature Ecology & Evolution, 2024. Note: The most extreme wildfires are in the top 0.01% of fires by radioactive power, identified from 21 years of satellite data