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US prosecutors allege Jonathan Rinderknecht intentionally started the Palisades Fire, which killed 12 and devastated coastal areas north of Los Angeles. His trial began October 9 in federal court in Los Angeles.
A new study reveals that destructive wildfires struck wealthier regions worldwide in 2025, yet the total area burned globally was the second lowest since 2002, largely due to agricultural changes in Africa. Disasters in Scotland, Los Angeles, Spain, Portugal, and South Korea caused record damage and death, highlighting a disconnect between global burned area and real-world impacts. Climate change and land-use shifts are increasing vulnerability, especially in wildland-urban interfaces.
Helicopters have been deployed to douse flames threatening hillside homes in California as wildfires spread rapidly under dry and windy conditions. Firefighting crews are working tirelessly to protect residential areas and regain control of the blaze.
California Governor Jerry Brown has declared that climate change has created unprecedented extreme weather, making wildfires a persistent threat. He called this the 'new normal,' urging better preparation as the state battles multiple large fires that have destroyed homes and forced mass evacuations.
Europe is the fastest-warming continent, according to a new joint report by the WMO and ECMWF. In 2025, nearly all of Europe recorded above-average annual temperatures, leading to intense heatwaves, wildfires that scorched over 1 million hectares, and significant glacier and snow cover loss. The report warns that climate change is an urgent present reality.
Global tropical forest loss fell 36% in 2025 to 4.3 million hectares, thanks largely to Brazil's stronger anti-deforestation policies. However, researchers warn that climate-driven wildfires and the returning El Nino threaten to reverse progress, and losses remain far above the 2030 target level.
