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In the 2024-25 wildfire season, an estimated 15 million people across India were impacted, with Uttar Pradesh suffering the most severe effects due to crop burning, heatwaves, and dry fuel accumulation, according to a global study released in October 2025. These rampant fires contributed to hazardous air pollution levels, particularly in New Delhi, exposing millions to dangerous particulate matter and raising public health alarms amid ongoing climate change challenges.
Key Findings and Developments
A recent global analysis published in the Earth System Science Data journal, conducted by researchers from the University of East Anglia, the UK Met Office, and other institutions, reveals that 15 million Indians were affected by wildfires during the 2024-25 fire season. Uttar Pradesh recorded its worst wildfire season on record, with an estimated 4.6 million people affected. Punjab was another heavily impacted state, with over 3.5 million exposed to wildfire smoke and related hazards.
These wildfires also severely deteriorated air quality in northern India’s capital, New Delhi, where PM2.5 particulate pollution levels reached over 200 micrograms per cubic meter in November 2024 — about 13 times the World Health Organization’s (WHO) daily safe limit. This surge in hazardous air pollution is linked to increased respiratory and cardiovascular health risks among exposed populations across the region.
Globally, wildfires affected approximately 100 million people during the same period, burning an area exceeding 3.7 million square kilometers and releasing over eight billion tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, exacerbating climate change.
Expert Commentary
Douglas Kelley, a land surface modeller at the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology and lead author of the ‘State of Wildfires 2024-25’ report, emphasized the role of human-driven climate change in intensifying wildfire frequency and severity. He noted that without anthropogenic warming, many of these extreme fires in regions such as South America and Southern California would not have reached such destructive scales.
Enza Di Tomaso, an ECMWF scientist specializing in air quality, highlighted the compounding effect wildfires have on already critical air pollution levels in India, warning that combined with droughts and heatwaves, wildfires create a dangerous feedback loop worsening air quality and public health outcomes.
Dr. Priya Singh, a pulmonologist not involved in the study, commented: “Exposure to wildfire smoke, especially fine particulate matter like PM2.5, can penetrate deep into the lungs and bloodstream, triggering asthma exacerbations, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) flare-ups, heart attacks, and even premature death, especially among vulnerable populations like children and the elderly”.
Context and Background
India has experienced increasing wildfire incidents in recent years, fueled by multiple factors including deliberate agricultural crop burning, prolonged heatwaves, drought conditions, and accumulation of dry biomass. Uttar Pradesh’s extreme fire season was driven largely by seasonal crop residue burning combined with record-setting high temperatures.
The report underscores that millions in other countries—such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, China, Mozambique, and South Sudan—also suffered extensive wildfire exposure in 2024-25, illustrating a global rise in wildfire crises linked to climate change.
The Indian capital city’s acute air pollution episodes in late 2024 exemplify the urgency of addressing wildfire management within broader climate adaptation and air quality strategies.
Public Health Implications
Wildfire smoke poses serious health risks primarily through inhalation of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which can bypass the body’s natural respiratory defenses. Short-term exposure exacerbates respiratory diseases, cardiovascular conditions, and increases hospital admissions during wildfire episodes. Long-term exposure to smoke constituents can impact lung development in children and contribute to chronic diseases.
The 2024-25 wildfire season’s severity highlights a pressing need for integrated public health responses emphasizing real-time air quality monitoring, public advisories to limit outdoor exposure during haze events, and health services preparation to manage smoke-related illnesses.
Limitations and Counterarguments
While the global report provides robust estimates based on satellite data and air quality modeling, exact quantification of individual health impacts remains challenging due to the complex interplay of multiple pollution sources and underlying health conditions.
Some experts caution that attributing all wildfire severity to climate change must consider socio-economic factors such as land use practices and crop burning traditions that also critically shape wildfire risks in India.
Practical Implications for Readers
For individuals, protecting health during wildfire seasons includes following air quality advisories, staying indoors with air purification where possible, using masks rated for particulate filtering, and seeking medical attention if respiratory symptoms worsen.
Public awareness and behavioral changes regarding crop residue burning can reduce wildfire incidence, supported by government policies promoting sustainable agricultural practices and fire management.
Medical Disclaimer
Medical Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult with qualified healthcare professionals before making any health-related decisions or changes to your treatment plan. The information presented here is based on current research and expert opinions, which may evolve as new evidence emerges.
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