Climate inferno

The recent wildfires in Los Angeles, USA, and Murree, Pakistan vividly put on display the peril posed by climate change, the vulnerability of the ecosystem, and the enormous cost in terms of human lives and sources of income.

What such stark disasters show to be necessary is action worldwide as well as cooperation, particularly to support the vulnerable communities that are at risk of such catastrophes.

Such fires have devastated various parts of the world in recent years. In 2019, catastrophic fires engulfed the Amazon rainforest — often called the ‘lungs of the earth’ — burning more than 17 million acres and releasing vast amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

The Black Summer fires of 2019–2020 scorched over 46 million acres, claiming 33 human lives, killing more than three billion animals, and displacing countless others. These tragedies underscored the long-term threats to biodiversity and climate stability.

As of January 22, 2025, fires in Los Angeles destroyed a significant portion of areas. The Palisades Fire destroyed 24,000+ acres in Pacific Palisades and part of Malibu. The Eaton Fire crossed over 14,000 acres to Altadena and Pasadena, taking 17 lives. The Hurst Fire burnt 799 acres north of San Fernando.

Together, these fires burned more than 12,300 buildings, forced out over 200,000 people, and led to about $250 billion in economic losses, which might make this the costliest natural disaster in US history.

In Pakistan, severe forest fires occurred in Murree Hills in January, whereby large parts of Ghoda Gali, PP-1, and Samli forest ranges were lost to flames in 49 different sites where trees, shrubs, and wildlife habitat were reduced to ashes. The human and financial loss is yet to be compiled and still must be — but they are in many ways similar to what resource-constrained countries experience.

This is similar to what happened in the Balochistan chilgoza forest fires of 2022 when over 40 per cent of the world’s largest Chilgoza reserves were consumed by the fire. People from the local communities were fighting off the inferno with blankets and buckets since there were no organised disaster response mechanisms — losing both ecological and economic treasures.

These tragic events show how different the scale of readiness and money is between richer and poorer nations. Solving issues with wildfires, especially in developing parts, needs a wholesome plan:

Put money in early alert systems: Use satellites and drones to spot and manage wildfires in their early stages. Strong public warning systems can also help ensure quick evacuations in places prone to fires. These steps might have reduced the damage seen in Murree

and Balochistan.

Training and equipping local responders: It supports voluntary firefighting squads by providing training, flame-resistant uniforms, mobile pumps and other essential equipment. This approach would help address the lack of local firefighting resources in Balochistan.

Regional cooperation: Establish cross-border agreements for resource sharing and joint action among countries with similar ecosystems, such as Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan. These pacts should also prioritise conservation efforts. Collaborative investments in firefighting aircraft and funding will significantly enhance regional resilience against such disasters.

The resource-rich Los Angeles wildfires expose vulnerabilities often masked in less developed regions, such as Murree and Balochistan, where fires also occur despite limited resources. They serve as a stark and vivid illustration of a broader trend — how climate impacts disproportionately affect poorer nations.

We need to work together to make things better. Smart steps like planting more trees, up-to-date crisis plans, and local ways of saving nature can protect fragile places like Pakistan’s Chilgoza forests.

The increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires make it clear that the time to act decisively in combating climate change is now — unless we wish to see such tragedies grow in scale and claim the lives of the most vulnerable in society.

The priority is to invest in building back better, particularly in less-developed regions, as an ethical responsibility to make sure there is a place for sustainable development for all.

The writer is an expert on climate change and sustainable development and the founder of the Clifton Urban Forest. He tweets/posts @masoodlohar and can be reached at: mlohar@gmail.com