Fiery forest fires

The escalating frequency and intensity of forest fires in Pakistan are a stark manifestation of the climate crisis, exposing the country's vulnerability to global warming. From the Margalla Hills to the forests of Malakand, wildfires have ravaged ecosystems, displaced communities and released catastrophic carbon emissions, underscoring an urgent need for action.

As temperatures soar across the country, the link between climate change and these disasters is undeniable. The events also underscore how Pakistan is among the worst-affected nations in terms of extreme climate events.

Rising temperatures, prolonged droughts and erratic weather patterns have turned Pakistan's forests into tinderboxes. The April 2025 heatwave, made up to 4°C hotter by human-induced climate change, exemplifies this trend. In Punjab, forest fires surged by 89% in 2024, while Balochistan's wildfires killed 35 people and displaced thousands.

Pakistan's response has been hampered by underfunded disaster management and inadequate firefighting infrastructure. In Malakand, volunteers battled blazes with "twigs and bare hands".

Meanwhile, the Margalla Hills' fires have caused widespread damage, yet many international standard fire mitigation practices are still not being prioritised. Reforestation projects have shown some promise as a means of climate change mitigation and negating the impact of forest fires, but many solutions, such as early warning systems and firefighting equipment, are lagging.

World Bank has estimated that Pakistan needs almost $350 billion by 2030 to address the climate challenge. While this number is almost certainly unattainable, if wealthier nations honour their climate finance pledges, we could make some inroads. However, President Trump's anti-aid policies, coupled with his climate change denial, mean that for at least the next four years, the world's biggest economy and history's greatest polluter will contribute nothing to the cause.