"The first four months of 2026 have already seen more land burned by wildfires than ever before, according to experts from World Weather Attribution (WWA). Around the world, 150 million hectares (580,000 square miles) of land have already been destroyed - more than twice the recent average. However, with record-breaking temperatures now likely, a panel of leading experts now says the situation is only expected to get worse."
"Researchers say that a developing El Niño weather pattern is now poised to make 2026 the hottest year on record. While El Niño is a natural cycle, its effects will combine with human-caused climate change to trigger devastating consequences. Scientists now anticipate an 'unprecedented year of global fire and record-breaking weather events'."
"Dr Zachary Labe, climate scientist at Climate Central, says: 'From unseasonable heat waves and growing wildfires to missing snow on the highest mountain peaks, 2026 is flashing a warning sign of how climate change amplifies extremes.' This dire warning comes as scientists have begun to track the development of a 'Super El Niño' phase in the natural cycle of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation."
"The El Niño-Southern Oscillation is a natural climate pattern which cycles between a hot El Niño and a cool La Niña phase every two to seven years. During the El Niño part of the cycle, warm waters that build up in the Pacific spread out and raise the Earth's average surface temperature. Currently, global warming is being held in check by a cooling La Niño pattern that is making 2026 a little bit less hot than previous years."
The first four months of 2026 have already produced record wildfire impacts, with more land burned than ever before. About 150 million hectares of land have been destroyed worldwide, exceeding more than twice the recent average. Scientists warn that record-breaking temperatures are likely to intensify these impacts later in the year. A developing El Niño pattern is poised to make 2026 the hottest year on record. El Niño is a natural cycle, but its effects will combine with human-caused climate change. Researchers anticipate an unprecedented year of global fire and record-breaking weather events, including heat waves, wildfire growth, and reduced snow at high elevations.
Read at Mail Online
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