Satellite data compiled by Greenpeace's Global Mapping Hub shows that more areas of Africa's tropical forests experienced rising fire activity than declining activity from 2001 to 2025. The trend raises concerns that the Congo Basin, one of the world's largest carbon sinks, could shift from absorbing carbon to releasing it if primary forests and peatlands burn. The article cites WRI country manager Jean Bakouma, who warns that fires are becoming an increasingly important factor in persistent forest loss. The risk is compounded by a possible record El Nino and cuts to foreign aid for scientific research, climate monitoring, and firefighting programs. For anyone tracking carbon markets or climate policy, this is a baseline story worth watching. Forest permanence assumptions in the region may need to account for rising fire risk.
