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Euronews
9 hours ago
- Climate
- Euronews
Is climate change fuelling Europe's early, extreme wildfire season?
An area almost the size of Luxembourg has been burnt by wildfires in Europe so far this year, according to the EU's European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS). As of 15 July, the cumulative total of scorched land stands at 231,539 hectares - 119 per cent above the long-term average of 105,586 hectares for this time of the year. In recent weeks, wildfires have forced tens of thousands of people to flee their homes and claimed at least three lives in Türkiye, necessitated lockdowns in Catalonia, led to mass evacuations from Crete, and caused havoc around Marseille. This list is not exhaustive, and is certain to extend as summer swelters on. 'We can see that it's looking fairly extreme this year,' explains Sarah Carter, a research associate at Global Forest Watch. 'This is perhaps what's to be expected because we know that 2023 was the warmest year on record, 2024 was the warmest year on record, so we're expecting that these hot, dry conditions are just going to continue,' she says. 'It's this kind of perfect storm of heatwaves, drought, and also the way that we manage our forests, which are driving forest fires.' How is climate change fuelling more wildfires? EFFIS data shows the weekly cumulative number of fires is significantly above average, too. It stands at 1,230 as of 15 July, compared to the average of 478 for this time of year. However, most of this increase was felt in February and March due to dry and warm conditions in western and central Europe. The same is true of the unusually high figure for total area burned. A European Commission official clarified that figures for burned areas after March are very similar to the long-term average. Carter isn't totally sure why some fires are moving earlier in the year. But, broadly speaking, she attributes it to the trend of summers getting warmer and hotter for longer, due to the rise in greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels. 'If a fire season is normally concentrated in a couple of very hot months in the middle of the summer, it's going to expand either side of that because of the way that the climate is warming,' she explains. 'The warm summer season is basically expanding.' Increased carbon emissions in the atmosphere drive hotter conditions with less rain. This dries forests out, making them more prone to fires, and meaning that larger areas go up in smoke. Up to 16 July, the total estimated carbon emissions from wildfires across all EU countries are 1.9 megatonnes of carbon, according to Mark Parrington, senior scientist at Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS). That's based on CAMS' data from its Global Fire Assimilation System (GFAS). Emissions from wildfires feed into a devastating cycle, making forests even more vulnerable, and so fires more extreme. Which countries have been particularly scarred by wildfires this year? In Türkiye, wildfires in late June and early July have resulted in record burned area figures for this time of the year, the EU Commission official says. This record figure has been driven by the large scale of some of the fires. These huge blazes have pushed emissions to a record high in the 22 years of the GFAS dataset, Parrington adds. They are currently around twice the average for the time of year, as fire emissions typically increase at the end of July and into August for Türkiye. Fire emissions from the UK have also reached their highest annual total of the past 22 years, he says, following large fires in Scotland. In wildfire-prone Greece, fires have resulted in a higher-than-usual total burned area for this time of year, too. But it's Romania that leaps out of the bar chart when looking at the EFFIS data for the percentage of the country's area burned by wildfires. Around 23,000 hectares are burnt on average each year, while for 2025 the figure stands at 123,000 hectares. Again, officials link this to the anomalous dry and warm fire-spreading conditions from February to March. Since April, burned area figures in Romania have stabilised. It can seem 'like the whole of Europe is on fire,' says Carter, 'but actually northern Europe is fairly resilient to fire.' According to GFW's annual tree cover loss data, only 3 per cent of tree cover loss in Europe last year was due to fire; the vast majority was instead caused by forestry. But in southern Europe, it's a different story. The impact can be devastating, with huge proportions of forest loss caused by wildfires in Portugal, Greece, and Spain in recent years. Some fires are becoming unfightable Better forest management involves embracing a mosaic model, says Carter, with diverse levels of vegetation, and steering clear of flammable species like eucalyptus. Keeping moisture in the soil is key, as is creating fire breaks by removing any flammable material. But in some areas, the combination of dry conditions and strong winds means 'some fires now are just not going to be able to be fought.' This makes early warning systems essential to keeping people safe. Using EFFIS data, the Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) issues fire alerts, while the Global Forest Watch also provides 'disturbance alerts'. 'I don't really expect anything much different to business as usual this summer,' says Carter. 'So I think people have got to be prepared for worsening air quality, for dangers to their houses, livelihoods, businesses, and tourists going to these southern areas have to be aware.'
Reuters
2 days ago
- Climate
- Reuters
How climate change fuels wildfires in Europe
BRUSSELS, July 15 (Reuters) - Wildfires have scorched hotspots in several Mediterranean countries this month, with blazes forcing thousands of people into lockdown in Catalonia in Spain, and encroaching on France's second-biggest city of Marseille. Here's what drives wildfires across Europe, and the situation so far this year. Wildfires have burnt 227,000 hectares of land since the beginning of the year - more than double the average for this time of year over the past two decades, according to the EU's European Forest Fire Information System. While far above average, it's not the highest in EFFIS' records, which go back to 2002. Europe had particularly bad fire seasons in 2003 and 2017, when blazes burnt more than 1,100,000 hectares in each year - an area equivalent to the island of Jamaica. It's not yet clear if 2025 will be a record year, as that will depend on how the fire season evolves in the coming months. The number of fires in Europe has also surged this year so far, with 1,118 blazes detected as of July 8, versus 716 in the same period last year, EFFIS said. Heatwaves in Europe earlier this month stoked blazes around the Mediterranean, including in Syria, where fires have burned through more than 3% of the country's forest cover, according to the U.N. In the Greek islands of Evia and Crete, wildfires this month forced thousands of people to evacuate their homes. But while Europe overall has seen a jump this year, scientists observing the fires say those in the Mediterranean region have, while destructive, so far been relatively isolated. Scientists say the Mediterranean region's hotter, drier summers put it at high risk of wildfires. Once fires start, plentiful dry vegetation and strong winds in the region can cause them to spread rapidly and burn out of control. Climate change exacerbates this risk, by creating hotter and drier background conditions. In the countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea, that has contributed to the fire season starting earlier in recent years, breaking records for the intensity of fires, and burning more land. Greenhouse gas emissions, mainly from burning coal, oil and gas, have heated the planet by about 1.3 degrees Celsius since pre-industrial times. Europe has warmed at twice the global average since the 1980s, according to the World Meteorological Organization. That warmer baseline means higher temperatures can be reached during heatwaves, which climate change is also making more frequent. This has been confirmed by the United Nations' global panel of climate scientists, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Countries are preparing for worse blazes. Warmer-than-average temperatures are forecast across Europe in August, EFFIS said, meaning fire danger will remain high across much of southern and eastern Europe. While Southern Europe is expected to see normal rainfall patterns, the rest of the continent is expected to be drier than normal in August, EFFIS said - potentially exacerbating fire risk in other regions. Governments are attempting to adapt. Greece has assembled a record high 18,000 firefighters this year, in anticipation of severe blazes, and has adapted its firefighting tactics and patrols to attempt to detect fires earlier and limit the damage, the government has said. Other factors exacerbate fire risk, including forest management. Shrinking populations in rural areas of countries including Spain, as people move to cities, have left smaller workforces to clear vegetation and avoid fuel for forest fires building up. The U.N. has urged governments to invest more in prevention, rather than focusing mainly on response after fires break out - and it has warned that climate change is expected to increase extreme fires globally by up to 14% by the end of the decade. Fire prevention can include setting controlled fires ahead of the summer season, to clear out fuel that blazes can feed on, and restoring wetlands and peatland ecosystems, the U.N. said.
Japan Times
3 days ago
- Climate
- Japan Times
How climate change is fueling wildfires in Europe
Wildfires have scorched hotspots in several Mediterranean countries this month, with blazes forcing thousands of people into lockdown in Catalonia in Spain, and encroaching on France's second-biggest city of Marseille. Here's what drives wildfires across Europe, and the situation so far this year. How bad is it this year? Wildfires have burnt 227,000 hectares of land since the beginning of the year — more than double the average for this time of year over the past two decades, according to the EU's European Forest Fire Information System. While far above average, it's not the highest in EFFIS' records, which go back to 2002. Europe had particularly bad fire seasons in 2003 and 2017, when blazes burnt more than 1.1 million hectares in each year — an area equivalent to the island of Jamaica. It's not yet clear if 2025 will be a record year, as that will depend on how the fire season evolves in the coming months. The number of fires in Europe has also surged this year so far, with 1,118 blazes detected as of July 8, versus 716 in the same period last year, EFFIS said. Heat waves in Europe earlier this month stoked blazes around the Mediterranean, including in Syria, where fires have burned through more than 3% of the country's forest cover, according to the U.N. In the Greek islands of Evia and Crete, wildfires this month forced thousands of people to evacuate their homes. But while Europe overall has seen a jump this year, scientists observing the fires say those in the Mediterranean region have, while destructive, so far been relatively isolated. What's driving it? Scientists say the Mediterranean region's hotter, drier summers put it at high risk of wildfires. Once fires start, plentiful dry vegetation and strong winds in the region can cause them to spread rapidly and burn out of control. Climate change exacerbates this risk, by creating hotter and drier background conditions. In the countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea, that has contributed to the fire season starting earlier in recent years, breaking records for the intensity of fires, and burning more land. Greenhouse gas emissions, mainly from burning coal, oil and gas, have heated the planet by about 1.3 degrees Celsius since pre-industrial times. Europe has warmed at twice the global average since the 1980s, according to the World Meteorological Organization. That warmer baseline means higher temperatures can be reached during heat waves, which climate change is also making more frequent. This has been confirmed by the United Nations' global panel of climate scientists, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Rest of summer Countries are preparing for worse blazes. Warmer-than-average temperatures are forecast across Europe in August, EFFIS said, meaning fire danger will remain high across much of southern and eastern Europe. While Southern Europe is expected to see normal rainfall patterns, the rest of the continent is expected to be drier than normal in August, EFFIS said — potentially exacerbating fire risk in other regions. Governments are attempting to adapt. Greece has assembled a record high 18,000 firefighters this year, in anticipation of severe blazes, and has adapted its firefighting tactics and patrols to attempt to detect fires earlier and limit the damage, the government has said. Other factors exacerbate fire risk, including forest management. Shrinking populations in rural areas of countries including Spain, as people move to cities, have left smaller workforces to clear vegetation and avoid fuel for forest fires building up. The U.N. has urged governments to invest more in prevention, rather than focusing mainly on response after fires break out — and it has warned that climate change is expected to increase extreme fires globally by up to 14% by the end of the decade. Fire prevention can include setting controlled fires ahead of the summer season, to clear out fuel that blazes can feed on, and restoring wetlands and peatland ecosystems, the U.N. said.
Straits Times
3 days ago
- Straits Times
Explainer-How climate change is fuelling wildfires in Europe
Smoke rises as a wildfire burns in Xerta, which is one of the confined villages in the Tarrragona province in Catalonia, Spain, July 7, 2025. Merce Avinyo/via REUTERS/File Photo BRUSSELS - Wildfires have scorched hotspots in several Mediterranean countries this month, with blazes forcing thousands of people into lockdown in Catalonia in Spain, and encroaching on France's second-biggest city of Marseille. Here's what drives wildfires across Europe, and the situation so far this year. HOW BAD IS IT THIS YEAR? Wildfires have burnt 227,000 hectares of land since the beginning of the year - more than double the average for this time of year over the past two decades, according to the EU's European Forest Fire Information System. While far above average, it's not the highest in EFFIS' records, which go back to 2002. Europe had particularly bad fire seasons in 2003 and 2017, when blazes burnt more than 1,100,000 hectares in each year - an area equivalent to the island of Jamaica. It's not yet clear if 2025 will be a record year, as that will depend on how the fire season evolves in the coming months. The number of fires in Europe has also surged this year so far, with 1,118 blazes detected as of July 8, versus 716 in the same period last year, EFFIS said. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore $3b money laundering case: MinLaw acts against 4 law firms and 1 lawyer over seized properties Singapore Man charged with attempted murder of woman at Kallang Wave Mall Singapore Ex-cleaner jailed over safety lapses linked to guard's death near 1-Altitude rooftop bar Singapore Real estate firm PropNex donates $6 million to Community Chest for 25th anniversary Singapore Sengkang-Punggol LRT gets 15.8 per cent capacity boost with new trains Singapore Air India crash: SIA, Scoot find no issues with Boeing 787 fuel switches after precautionary checks Singapore $230,000 in fines issued after MOM checks safety at over 500 workplaces from April to June Multimedia From local to global: What made top news in Singapore over the last 180 years? Heatwaves in Europe earlier this month stoked blazes around the Mediterranean, including in Syria, where fires have burned through more than 3% of the country's forest cover, according to the U.N. In the Greek islands of Evia and Crete, wildfires this month forced thousands of people to evacuate their homes. But while Europe overall has seen a jump this year, scientists observing the fires say those in the Mediterranean region have, while destructive, so far been relatively isolated. WHAT'S DRIVING IT? Scientists say the Mediterranean region's hotter, drier summers put it at high risk of wildfires. Once fires start, plentiful dry vegetation and strong winds in the region can cause them to spread rapidly and burn out of control. Climate change exacerbates this risk, by creating hotter and drier background conditions. In the countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea, that has contributed to the fire season starting earlier in recent years, breaking records for the intensity of fires, and burning more land. Greenhouse gas emissions, mainly from burning coal, oil and gas, have heated the planet by about 1.3 degrees Celsius since pre-industrial times. Europe has warmed at twice the global average since the 1980s, according to the World Meteorological Organization. That warmer baseline means higher temperatures can be reached during heatwaves, which climate change is also making more frequent. This has been confirmed by the United Nations' global panel of climate scientists, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. REST OF SUMMER Countries are preparing for worse blazes. Warmer-than-average temperatures are forecast across Europe in August, EFFIS said, meaning fire danger will remain high across much of southern and eastern Europe. While Southern Europe is expected to see normal rainfall patterns, the rest of the continent is expected to be drier than normal in August, EFFIS said - potentially exacerbating fire risk in other regions. Governments are attempting to adapt. Greece has assembled a record high 18,000 firefighters this year, in anticipation of severe blazes, and has adapted its firefighting tactics and patrols to attempt to detect fires earlier and limit the damage, the government has said. Other factors exacerbate fire risk, including forest management. Shrinking populations in rural areas of countries including Spain, as people move to cities, have left smaller workforces to clear vegetation and avoid fuel for forest fires building up. The U.N. has urged governments to invest more in prevention, rather than focusing mainly on response after fires break out - and it has warned that climate change is expected to increase extreme fires globally by up to 14% by the end of the decade. Fire prevention can include setting controlled fires ahead of the summer season, to clear out fuel that blazes can feed on, and restoring wetlands and peatland ecosystems, the U.N. said. REUTERS
The National
11-07-2025
- Climate
- The National
Wildfire warning across Scotland as temperatures reach 30C
An extreme danger assessment regarding wildfires was issued by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) in conjunction with the Scottish Wildfire Forum and is in effect from Friday, July 11 until Monday, July 14. It covers central and eastern areas on Friday and extends to the whole country, barring low-lying areas with green grass, from Saturday. READ MORE: Weather warning issued to TRNSMT Festival go-ers as scorching heatwave expected The SFRS has urged those in particular who live in or intend to visit rural areas of the country to 'exercise caution'. Wildfires have the potential to burn for days and cause devastation to wildlife and land, as well as having knock-on effects for nearby communities. The wildfire danger assessment covers most of the country, with the Highlands in particular at risk (Image: EFFIS) Group commander Raymond King, a wildfire tactical advisor for SFRS, said: 'We are asking the public to exercise extreme caution and think twice before using anything involving a naked flame. "Many rural and remote communities are hugely impacted by wildfires, which can cause significant damage. "Livestock, farmland, wildlife, protected woodland, and sites of special scientific interest can all be devastated by these fires – as can the lives of people living and working in rural communities. "These fires can also have a hugely negative impact on the environment, and the release of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. "Human behaviour can significantly lower the chance of a wildfire starting, so it is crucial that people act safely and responsibly in rural environments and always follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code." READ MORE: No trains to run on major Scottish city railway line this weekend The warning comes after a series of wildfires occurred in the Highlands at the start of the month, prompting a joint investigation by SFRS and Police Scotland. The Scottish Gamekeepers Association warned in June that wildfires are 'becoming a danger to human life' as fire resources are required to tackle the blazes, meaning other incidents could be left without cover. Scots have also been warned to be vigilant with the use of disposable barbeques in popular beauty spots like Loch Lomond this weekend. As well as urging the public to follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code, SFRS also provides information regarding the prevention of wildfires.
