Wildfire emissions in 2025 reach records for Europe and Canada

By Iain Hoey
International Fire & Safety Journal
December 5, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, International

The Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) has reported that global wildfire emissions from January to November 2025 reached around 1,380 megatonnes of carbon, with record European Union emissions and Canada recording its second highest annual total in the CAMS dataset. CAMS compared the 2025 figure with estimated emissions of 1,850 megatonnes of carbon from January to November 2024 and 1,940 megatonnes over the full year 2024. According to CAMS, Canada contributed an estimated 263 megatonnes of carbon to the 2025 total, with only 2023 recording a higher annual figure in the 23 year dataset that began in 2003. CAMS noted that biomass burning in tropical Africa remains the largest contributor to global biomass burning emissions, and that this region has driven an overall decline over the past two decades because of fewer savanna fires. In contrast, CAMS data show rising emissions in recent years in other regions, including North America between 2023 and 2025 and the record fire season in South America in 2024.

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