Ancient Antarctica Hosted Wildfires 90 Million Years Ago
Researchers identified evidence of temperate rainforest fires during the Cretaceous, reshaping our understanding of the polar climate.
Updated on Sept. 28, 2026 in Geography
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Scientists discovered charcoal and amber in sediment cores from the Amundsen Sea, revealing that wildfires occurred in West Antarctica 90 million years ago. This study documents the southernmost wildfires ever recorded on Earth.
Why it matters
The findings show that high atmospheric carbon dioxide levels once supported temperate, swampy rainforests near the South Pole, where frequent fires shaped early peatland ecosystems. This historical data provides a new reference point for how high-latitude regions respond to extreme greenhouse climates.
Researchers identified charcoal from soft conifer wood, suggesting low-temperature burning in a climate with annual temperatures averaging 12°C. The forest experienced four months of continuous darkness, yet sustained an ecosystem where lightning triggered fires across drying wetlands.
The players
Communications Earth and Environment
A scientific journal that publishes research on the Earth, planetary, and environmental sciences.
The details
The team utilized microscopic methods to isolate charcoal particles trapped in sediment cores recovered from the Amundsen Sea. Amber, fossilized tree resin, acted as a protective sealant over fire-damaged areas of ancient conifer trunks. By mapping the site's proximity to geological features, the study confirmed that fires were ignited by lightning rather than volcanic activity, as the nearest active volcanic zones were at least 250 miles away.
Timeline
90 million years ago: Wildfires burned in West Antarctic rainforests.
2020: Researchers published initial expedition results in Nature.
2026: The current study was published in Communications Earth and Environment.
The Tech Race
This study updates established models of Cretaceous atmospheric conditions by confirming that wildfire activity extended into the polar regions. It follows a research trajectory mapping extreme greenhouse states, providing empirical data to refine climate simulations for the Earth's high latitudes.
This study does not affect current consumer technologies but informs how scientists model global climate trajectory. It provides a historical baseline for how polar ecosystems respond to carbon dioxide levels four to six times higher than modern concentrations.
The takeaway
This discovery proves that polar rainforests were dynamic, fire-prone environments during the Late Cretaceous. Researchers will now look for further sediment samples to determine if similar wildfire cycles occurred across other high-latitude landmasses during the same era.
Further reading
For more on how ancient climates shaped current landscapes, explore the Geography section.
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