US wildfires

Theme and specification link

Wildfires are a natural phenomenon and are part of seasonal cycles in places such as the US. However, there is evidence to suggest that they are increasing every decade. This resource looks at how 2026 has seen the highest number of wildfires in the US in a decade, their impacts and how they could be managed in the future.

The link to the article can be found here: US wildfires surge to decade high as drought fuels fears of brutal summer.

This article underpins many aspects of carbon and natural hazards within the A Level specifications, as follows:

AQA
3.1.5.6 Fires in nature.
3.1.1.3 Carbon Cycle - changes in the carbon cycle over time, to include natural variation (including wildfires, volcanic activity).
Supporting 3.1.1.6 Case study of a tropical rainforest setting to illustrate and analyse key themes in water and carbon cycles and their relationship to environmental change and human activity.
3.1.6.3 Biomes - human activity and its impact on each biome, typical development issues in each biome to include changes in population, economic development, agricultural extension and intensification, implications for biodiversity and sustainability.

Cambridge International (examinations from 2027)
9.3 Wildfire hazards and impacts.

Edexcel
6.3 A balanced carbon cycle is important in sustaining other earth systems but is increasingly altered by human activities.
6.8 There are implications for human wellbeing from the degradation of the water and carbon cycles.
6.9 Further planetary warming risks large-scale release of stored carbon, requiring responses from different players at different scales.

Edexcel International 
1.3.1b Natural hazards are caused by hydro meteorological processes.

Eduqas and WJEC
(2)3.1.7 Carbon stores in different biomes.
(3)4.2.3 Biodiversity under threat.

OCR
3.b The food system is vulnerable to shocks that can impact food security.