Ancient Ferns Fueled Catastrophic Wildfires During Earth's Mass Extinction

WHO:

Gizmodo - Bas van de Schootbrugge, senior author and Earth scientist at Utrecht University in the Netherlands.

WHAT:

Gizmodo - Approximately 80% of species on Earth went extinct during the end-Triassic mass extinction event.

Science Daily - Ancient fern savannahs transformed parts of Europe into a wildfire-prone inferno during the end-Triassic mass extinction.

Gizmodo - The fern spike is estimated to have lasted anywhere between 40,000 years and 300,000 years.

Gizmodo - Researchers generated 15,000 measurements from pollen and spores captured in sedimentary drill cores.

WHERE:

Gizmodo - Modern Northwest Europe was affected by the proliferation of ferns during the late Triassic era.

Science Daily - Fossil evidence was retrieved from different areas in Europe.

WHEN:

Gizmodo - The end-Triassic mass extinction event occurred roughly 201 million years ago.

WHY:

Gizmodo - Volcanic activity likely kickstarted the mass extinction event by driving up global temperatures and carbon dioxide levels.

Gizmodo - The proliferation of ferns contributed to an “enhanced fire regime” for several centuries.

HOW:

Gizmodo - The ferns dried out and formed thick mats that acted as ideal fuel for massive wildfires.

Gizmodo - Researchers analyzed sedimentary drill cores and found dark sections corresponding to the fern spike, indicating increased fire activity.

Gizmodo - The study indicated that the darkened sections of the cores did not vary significantly according to the type of plant, suggesting an outside force was responsible.

(UPDATED July 23, 2026 01:30 UTC)

A recent study led by Bas van de Schootbrugge, a senior author and Earth scientist at Utrecht University, reveals that approximately 80% of species on Earth went extinct during the end-Triassic mass extinction event, which occurred around 201 million years ago. Researchers found that ancient fern savannahs transformed parts of modern Northwest Europe into wildfire-prone areas, with a fern spike lasting between 40,000 and 300,000 years, fueled by volcanic activity that raised global temperatures and carbon dioxide levels. By analyzing sedimentary drill cores, scientists discovered dark sections indicating increased fire activity, suggesting that the proliferation of ferns created ideal conditions for massive wildfires, driven by an external force rather than the type of plant present.