Biodiversity Research Institute (CSIC-University of Oviedo-Principality of Asturias)

The frequency and magnitude of extreme wildfires appear to have doubled in the last 20 years. Moreover, the six most extreme years for these events have occurred since 2017, according to a paper published in Nature Ecology & Evolution in which the authors used satellite data from 2003 to 2023. 

The fires in Hawaii, which have left at least a hundred dead and hundreds missing, have devastated entire towns and villages and have put the issue of how to prevent such intense fires back on the table. World Wildfire Prevention Day is celebrated this Friday 18 August. The increase in the occurrence and recurrence of large wildfires jeopardizes the resilience of socio-ecological systems. Efforts in prevention must be a priority and constant throughout the year. We have a joint responsibility as a society to face this unprecedented problem, which will worsen in the coming years.

A study has analyzed the genetics of 302 dogs living in areas close to the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. According to the study, they show genetic differences according to the distance they live from the plant, which distinguish them from other dog populations. The results are published in the journal Science Advances.

Coinciding with the heat wave, numerous wildfires have started and spread in the Iberian Peninsula, with two fatalities in the province of Zamora.