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World faces a year of unprecedented fires as El Nino looms

Researchers warn that 2026 could see an unprecedented wildfire season, with record-breaking fires already burning across Africa and Asia. Climate change and a potential strong El Niño are expected to worsen conditions, leading to more fires, drought, and air pollution-related health impacts.

By Tertius News AI Desk 2 outlets · 5 articles Version 1 Coverage May 12–13, 2026 Published Aug 14

Lead

Scientists are warning that the world could face an exceptionally severe wildfire season this year, as record-breaking fires in the first months of 2026 combine with forecasts of a strong El Niño. According to researchers at World Weather Attribution (WWA), a network of climate scientists, the global fire season has started faster than ever before, with burned areas already exceeding previous records.

"This year the global fire season has got off to a very fast start," said Theodore Keeping, an extreme weather researcher at Imperial College London and a member of WWA, as reported by Deutsche Welle and The Hindu.

Coverage Comparison

The story has been covered by Deutsche Welle and The Hindu, both of which highlight the role of human-induced climate change and the looming El Niño as key factors driving the extreme fire activity. Both outlets quote the same expert, Theodore Keeping, and reference data compiled by WWA.

While the overall framing is consistent, there are minor differences in the statistics reported. Deutsche Welle states that wildfires have burned 50% more than the average for this time of year, and that the area burnt globally is more than 20% higher than the previous record set since tracking began in 2012. The Hindu reports that more than 150 million hectares of land burned from January to April, which is 20% more than the previous record.

The Hindu also provides a breakdown by region: 85 million hectares burned in Africa (a 23% increase over the previous record of 69 million hectares), and 44 million hectares burned in Asia (nearly 40% more than the previous record year). These figures align with those mentioned by Deutsche Welle, though the latter does not explicitly state the 150 million hectare total.

Key Claims

Record-breaking fire activity: The first months of 2026 have seen unprecedented wildfires globally. According to data compiled by WWA and cited by both outlets, the area burnt is over 20% higher than the previous record.
Africa's fires: Approximately 85 million hectares have burned in Africa this year, compared to the previous record of 69 million hectares, as stated by Keeping and reported by both Deutsche Welle and The Hindu.
Asia's fires: Asian wildfires have burned nearly 40% more than the previous record year, with The Hindu specifying 44 million hectares.

El Niño forecast: There is a 61% chance that El Niño will emerge during the May-July period and persist until at least the end of the year, according to forecasts cited by Deutsche Welle. The Hindu expects El Niño conditions to start in May, potentially causing droughts in Australia, Indonesia, and parts of southern Asia, as well as flooding in other regions.

Air pollution impact: Deutsche Welle reports that 1.5 million deaths per year are linked to air pollution, and that this number is expected to rise as climate change leads to more frequent and intense wildfires. This claim was not mentioned by The Hindu.

Perspectives

Climate scientists (WWA): The rapid start to the fire season, combined with the forecast El Niño, points to a particularly severe year. Theodore Keeping emphasizes that climate change is a key driver, with "hydroclimate whiplash"—rapid shifts from wet to dry conditions—increasing in West Africa, creating abundant fuel for fires.

Deutsche Welle: The outlet frames the story as an urgent warning, using language like "alarming" and "turbocharger" to describe the interplay of climate change and El Niño. It highlights the global scale of the problem and the potential for worsening conditions.

The Hindu: With a South Asian perspective, The Hindu emphasizes the regional impact, particularly in Asia, and notes the expected El Niño effects on agriculture and water resources in countries like India. It also underscores the role of human-induced climate change in exacerbating these events.

Note: The statistics reported by the two outlets are largely consistent, though The Hindu provides a higher-level total for land burned. Both rely on the same expert source and WWA data.