From Heatwaves to Firewaves: Is Your Organization Ready?
In recent months, significant global wildfire activity has placed extreme pressure on emergency services, threatened communities and businesses, and severely damaged natural environments. Prolonged heatwaves, drought conditions, and rising temperatures have created ideal conditions for wildfires to spread, and they are emerging as a growing year-on-year resilience challenge.
Firewaves: An increasingly deadly phenomenon
The frequency and intensity of wildfires have increased, impacting regions that have not historically experienced such levels of activity.
Wildfire activity is increasing across the globe. In the UK, a ‘firewave’, a period of multiple concurrent wildfires, is currently underway. In Spain, wildfires in the Andalusia region have burned thousands of hectares of forest and farmland and forced the evacuation of more than 1,400 residents. Across Canada, hundreds of active fires continue to threaten communities, infrastructure and air quality, while across Africa, recent wildfires have caused fatalities, displaced residents and disrupted critical services. These events demonstrate that wildfire risk is no longer confined to traditionally fire-prone regions. With thousands of active wildfires visible on global monitoring systems at any given time, organizations worldwide must recognise wildfire as an increasingly significant resilience challenge.[1]
The growing climate threat: why extreme weather is becoming the new normal
Climate change is driving more frequent and intense wildfires and practitioners are facing with growing challenges in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from their impacts.
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)[2], and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), global temperatures are expected to remain at or near record levels throughout the remainder of the decade. The WMO estimates an 86% chance that at least one year between 2026 and 2030 will exceed 2024 as the warmest year on record, with a developing El Niño event potentially making 2027 a particularly strong contender.[3]
BCI research shows that resilience practitioners are aware of the threat.
In the Horizon Scan Report 2025[4] practitioners placed climate change second on the list of top concerns for organizations over the next 5-10 years and consistently described extreme weather and changing environmental conditions as an immediate operational threat.
When asked which specific climate-related risk posed the greatest threat to operations and long-term stability, physical effects placed highest rising from just over 60% in 2024 to nearly 75% in 2025. Climate effects on supply chains and incoming regulatory changes were also top concerns highlighting the far-reaching operational challenges posed by a changing climate.
Practitioners are aware of threats, but are they prepared for it? Despite wildfire and other extreme weather events increasing in frequency and intensity, most organizations are not investing in preparation for growing climate challenges but have an ad-hoc approach to weather related incidents.[5]
What practitioners can do
Practitioners can strengthen their resilience by assessing the growing climate-related risks that impact on buildings, resources, supply chain vulnerabilities, civil disturbances, and staff health risks. Horizon scanning for incoming regulations and incorporating climate scenarios into training and exercising scenarios can also improve preparedness. As the role of the resilience practitioner becomes more strategic, practitioners are well placed to make the case for or lead sustainability and climate resilience within organizations.
Practitioners could also consider supporting the adoption of frameworks such as ISO 14091, Adaptation to Climate Change[6] which provides guidance for assessing risks associated with the potential impacts of climate change. It explains how to evaluate vulnerability and conduct a robust climate change risk assessment, covering both current and future climate-related risks.
As climate change continues to drive higher temperatures and more extreme weather patterns, organizations can no longer view events such as wildfires as isolated incidents. Those that assess their vulnerabilities today, incorporate climate risks into strategic decision-making, and invest in adaptation measures will be better positioned to demonstrate resilience in a warming world.
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About the author
Rebecca Mathews
Content Manager, The BCI
