A warmer and drier climate means that more countries are affected by large forest fires. Last year, 135,000 km² of forest went up in smoke—equivalent to more than one-third of Norway’s area.

Brazil and Canada have therefore introduced two initiatives to strengthen international cooperation on fire prevention, preparedness, and firefighting.

‘Forest fires destroy the livelihoods of millions of people, release large amounts of greenhouse gases, and threaten valuable nature. This is a global problem that requires global cooperation’, said Minister of Climate and Environment Andreas Bjelland Eriksen.

The purpose of the initiatives is to strengthen international cooperation to prevent forest fires, build capacity, promote knowledge, and enhance monitoring systems that enable faster detection of fires. Prevention and rapid firefighting measures will also be incorporated into national plans and frameworks.

Half of the forest area that burned was in the tropics. Through the Norwegian International Climate and Forest Initiative (NICFI), Norway has supported work on fire preparedness and firefighting in several countries. In Brazil, support from Norway and other countries has contributed to increased fire preparedness in 61 municipalities—an area the size of Norway and Portugal combined.

Norway’s Efforts for Tropical Forests

In 2024, 67,000 km² of tropical forest was lost—an area the size of the Netherlands and Belgium.
Norway has contributed to:

  • Increased fire preparedness in 61 municipalities (470,000 km²) in Brazil
  • Approximately 20 million NOK for prevention and firefighting in seven provinces in Indonesia
  • Prevention and monitoring in several Central African countries through the CAFI partnership
  • Equipment and training for 16 local fire brigades in Colombia