When wildfire seasons start to overlap

A file pic of ground crew on their way to clear fire breaks in an effort to contain the fire in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles on Jan 13, 2025. Simultaneous fire emergencies in different parts of the world could stop countries from sharing ground crews and equipment, new research warns. — Loren Elliott/The New York Times

CONVERGING wildfire seasons around the world are increasing the risk that firefighting agencies will be less able to share resources like ground crews and water bombers, according to a new study.

The study, published in the journal Science Advances in February, found that the extreme weather conditions that stoke wildfires around the world are happening on more days each year, causing fire seasons in different regions to overlap more.