Natural and Human-influenced Wildfire: A Review of Their Causes, Impacts and Prevention Strategies

Abstract

Wildfires have emerged as one of the most devastating environmental hazards worldwide, increasing in frequency and intensity, driven by climate change and anthropogenic activities. Given the growing environmental, social, and economic impacts of wildfires, this review employed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) framework to examine wildfire hazards, their causal factors, associated risks, and preventive strategies. Evidence from the reports of the Food and Agriculture Organization, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), and peer-reviewed literature revealed that while some wildfires are triggered by natural factors such as lightning strikes and extreme heat, the majority are directly or indirectly linked to human activities, including deforestation, agricultural burning, industrial operations, and environmental mismanagement. The review identified that the environmental, health, social, and economic consequences of wildfires include biodiversity loss, air pollution, food insecurity, population, displacement, and infrastructure damage. Findings further indicate that effective wildfire management requires coordinated actions among governments, local communities, environmental agencies, and technological monitoring systems. Integrated Fire Management (IFM) emerged as a sustainable holistic framework for wildfire prevention, preparedness, suppression, recovery, and ecosystem restoration. The review concludes that strengthening climate adaptation measures, environmental education, and policy enforcement is essential for reducing wildfire risks and enhancing resilience to future climate-related disasters.