Extreme wildfires are causing unprecedented impacts on communities, economies, and the environment. As wildfire risk is set to keep growing under climate change, preventative action is key to contain future losses and damages. OECD work aims to support countries through policy recommendations and peer-learning to strengthen resilience to wildfires in the context of climate change.
This report provides a global assessment of wildfire risk, underlining the need to scale up climate change adaptation to reduce future wildfire impacts. It discusses the drivers behind the growing occurrence of extreme wildfires, including the role of climate change, and outlines their growing environmental, social and economic impacts. Building on a cross-country comparative analysis, it presents emerging policies and practices to manage wildfire risk and provides a set of policy recommendations to support countries in wildfire risk reduction.
Launch event of OECD country case study on wildfires in the United States | February 2024
On 29 February, the OECD will present the key findings of its new case study on wildfire policy in the United States. Along with key public agencies active in wildfire management across the country, OECD experts will discuss wildfire trends under climate change and the growing need for fire prevention.
Launch event of OECD country case study on wildfires in Portugal | September 2023
In this event, the OECD presented the key findings of its country case study on wildfire risk and policy in Portugal and conducted a policy dialogue with key public agencies in the country.
OECD Green Talks LIVE webinar: Taming Wildfires in the Context of Climate Change | September 2023
What are the impacts observed during recent extreme wildfires and what to expect from the future? How does climate change affect the occurrence of extreme wildfires and what can be done to reduce wildfire risk? In this OECD Green Talks LIVE, OECD experts discuss this and more with a panel of wildfire scientists and policy makers from different countries.
Launch event of OECD flagship report | May 2023
The OECD launched its flagship report Taming Wildfires in the Context of Climate Change at the 8th International Wildland Fire Conference in Portugal in May 2023. The launch event included a presentation of the report’s key findings as well as a high-level policy discussion with country ministers and international wildfire and forestry experts.
OECD-PLACARD Conference “Adapting to a changing climate in the management of wildfires” | January 2020
This conference, organised by the OECD in collaboration with the Platform for Climate Adaptation and Risk Reduction (PLACARD), brought together climate change adaptation and wildfire experts from governments, public agencies, academia and the private sector to discuss the growing challenges posed by extreme wildfires under climate change.
For more information, please contact us at oecd.adaptation@oecd.org
