India, June 2 -- Wildfires in 2025 were the costliest on record, even though the global area burned was 16% below the long-term average, a new review says.

The review found that 335 million hectares burned worldwide in 2025, while fire-related carbon emissions fell to 11 billion tonnes of CO2.

Researchers said the figures point to a global shift, with fewer savannah fires but more destructive wildfires in temperate and high-latitude regions.

Fires in Canada, the United States, Europe and South Korea caused more than 300,000 evacuations and more than 90 deaths, according to the review.

Scientists said climate-driven drought, heatwaves and growing development at the wildland-urban boundary are increasing the risks from extreme fires.

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