Global wildfires burn record 150 million hectares as super El Niño looms

More than 150 million hectares burned globally in the first half of 2026—an area more than twice the size of Texas—setting a record for the period. Scientists warn that a supercharged El Niño pattern emerging in the second half of the year could dramatically escalate wildfire activity. The combination of drought conditions and the climate phenomenon threatens to make 2026 one of the worst years on record for global fire damage.