The increasing severity of global large-scale fires is hindering forest recovery, which is observed as an increase in the recovery time and likelihood of recovery stagnation. Coupled with the adverse effects of climate change (such as warming and drought), recovery challenges might signify a high risk of forest decline.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals
Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription
$32.99 / 30 days
cancel any time
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 12 digital issues and online access to articles
$119.00 per year
only $9.92 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on SpringerLink
- Instant access to the full article PDF.
USD 39.95
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
References
Cunningham, C. X., Williamson, G. J. & Bowman, D. M. Increasing frequency and intensity of the most extreme wildfires on Earth. Nat. Ecol. Evol. 8, 1420–1425 (2024). This paper reports the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme wildfires globally.
Byrne, B. et al. Carbon emissions from the 2023 Canadian wildfires. Nature 633, 835–839 (2024). This paper reports the direct and potential carbon emissions from the extreme large-scale wildfires in Canada in 2023.
Xu, H. et al. Global patterns and drivers of post-fire vegetation productivity recovery. Nat. Geosci. 17, 874–881 (2024). This paper reports the recovery time of post-fire vegetation productivity globally and the driving recovery mechanisms, primarily focusing on small-to-medium-sized fires.
Wang, W. et al. Canadian forests are more conducive to high-severity fires in recent decades. Science 387, 91–97 (2025). This paper reports that northern forests in Canada are frequently subjected to high-severity fires and risk transitioning into a carbon source.
Jones, M. W. et al. Global rise in forest fire emissions linked to climate change in the extratropics. Science 386, eadl5889 (2024). This paper reports the risk of extratropical forests transitioning into a carbon source owing to climate change.
Additional information
Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
This is a summary of: Lv, Q. et al. Increasing severity of large-scale fires prolongs recovery time of forests globally since 2001. Nat. Ecol. Evol. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-025-02683-x (2025).
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Forest recovery time following large-scale fires is increasing. Nat Ecol Evol 9, 898–899 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-025-02685-9
Published:
Version of record:
Issue date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-025-02685-9
