A human-driven decline in global burned area

Fire is an essential Earth system process that alters ecosystem and atmospheric composition. Here we assessed long-term fire trends using multiple satellite data sets. We found that global burned area declined by 24.3 ± 8.8% over the past 18 years. The estimated decrease in burned area remained robust after adjusting for precipitation variability and was largest in savannas. Agricultural expansion and intensification were primary drivers of declining fire activity. Fewer and smaller fires reduced aerosol concentrations, modified vegetation structure, and increased the magnitude of the terrestrial carbon sink. Fire models were unable to reproduce the pattern and magnitude of observed declines, suggesting that…

• NS
  National Science Foundation
• NA
  National Aeronautics and Space Administration
• GA
  Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation

  Award: GBMF3269
• ES
  European Space Agency
• NN
  National Natural Science Foundation of China

  Award: 41475099
• NO
  Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek
• GS
  Graduate School, University of Maryland