Front Cover Story (See: Guochao Chen, Minghao Qiu, Peng Wang, Yuqiang Zhang, Drew Shindell, Hongliang Zhang, 2024, 18(10): 130)
Wildfires burn approximately 3%–4% of the global land area annually, resulting in massive emissions of greenhouse gases and air pollutants. During the past two decades, a consistent declining trend has been observed in both burned area and wildfire emissions on a global scale. However, the northern high-latitude regions of Asia and North America have witnessed substantial interannual variability in wildfire activity, with several severe events occurring in recent years. Climate plays a pivotal role in influencing wildfire activity and has led to more wildfires in high-latitude regions. These wildfires pose significant threats to climate, ecosystems, and human health. This study provides a perspective that emphasizes the importance of understanding the contributors of wildfires, focusing on deteriorating high-latitude areas, and addressing health risks in poorly managed areas to mitigate wildfire effects.
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