The Number of People Exposed to Wildfires Nearly Doubles, with Africa Bearing the Greatest Burden

RICHMOND HILL, Canada – 25 August 2025 — Wildfires are putting more lives at risk than ever before. A new research led by the United Nations University, Institute for Water, Environment and Health ( UNU-INWEH ) scientists finds that the number of humans directly exposed to wildland wildfires increased by 40% within the first two decades of the 21st century. The study published in Science reports at least 2,500 deaths and 10,500 injuries directly from wildfires in this period, and more than 1.5 million smoke-related deaths each year. Despite limited coverage in global media, Africa accounted for 85% of those exposed.

The authors note that global media headlines often highlight fires in North America, Europe, and Oceania, even though these regions account for less than 2.5%