Europe has been ravaged this year by extreme heat and catastrophic wildfires. Studies show that the continent is warming faster than any other region in the world. Since 1995, the average temperature in Europe has risen by 0.53°C per decade—more than double the global land average.
This summer, the intensity of the heatwaves was striking. Northern Europe experienced record heat in June, while southern regions were scorched in August. According to the European Forest Fire Information System, by August 19 alone, nearly 10,000 square kilometers of land in the European Union had been burned—four times more than the same period in 2006.
Among the hardest-hit areas are the Balkans, Cyprus, France, Greece, Portugal, and Spain. The raging fires in many cases have spread to the outskirts of major cities—including Madrid, Porto, Podgorica, and even Patras in Greece. At least eight deaths have been confirmed, though the actual toll is feared to be higher.
The crisis has been so severe that EU member states activated the Civil Protection Mechanism a record 17 times. This mechanism is usually deployed to respond to pandemics or major natural disasters.
Proportionally, Portugal has suffered the most, with nearly 2.9% of its territory—approximately 2,600 square kilometers—consumed by fire. This single loss exceeds the total area burned across the EU last year. In Spain, 4,000 square kilometers have been destroyed, forcing nearly 30,000 people to evacuate their homes. The intensity of the fires has been so extreme that Spain’s Defense Minister Margarita Robles admitted that human efforts are limited, and only favorable weather conditions can now make a difference.
Experts point out that while natural factors contribute to wildfires, human causes are the dominant factor. The latest research (2016) shows that only 4% of wildfires were naturally caused (e.g., by lightning), whereas 39% resulted from accidents or negligence, and 57% were intentionally set.
A 2001 study by Italy’s Forest Police Department further revealed that 60% of wildfires were planned. Fires caused by mentally ill individuals accounted for only 10%, while most intentional fires were set to clear pastureland. In many cases, land was deliberately set ablaze to make it suitable for construction, which later spiraled out of control into devastating wildfires.
Sources: The Economist, The Guardian.