Europe’s heating climate sparks ‘major intensification’ of fires: Report
Climate change has doubled the likelihood of wildfires in southern Europe since 1981, according to a new study published in Scientific Reports. Fire-prone weather conditions have more than doubled in frequency, with France and Spain experiencing some of their largest blazes on record. The intensification is attributed to global warming and characterized by high temperatures, low humidity, and strong winds.
A scientific study released this week confirms that southern Europe faces a substantially elevated wildfire risk compared to four decades ago. Researchers found that the number of summer days exhibiting conditions conducive to fire ignition has more than doubled since 1981, with climate change identified as the primary driver of this shift. The phenomenon is most pronounced in France and Spain, nations that have recently contended with some of their most severe fire seasons in recorded history.
The research characterizes this trend as a "major intensification" of fire-prone weather patterns. These conditions—marked by extreme heat, reduced moisture, dry vegetation, and powerful winds—create an environment where wildfires spread rapidly and extensively. Study contributors emphasize that the observed increase in fire weather frequency cannot be explained by natural variation alone and points directly to global warming as the causative factor.
Across Europe, the current wildfire season has already surpassed the destructive record set in 2025. In France, authorities permitted 84,000 evacuees in the southwestern region to return home as the nation's largest wildfire since 1949 came under control, aided by cooling temperatures and rainfall. Spain similarly lifted its national emergency declaration as major fires threatening the Madrid area—the largest experienced there since record-keeping began in 1961—moved toward containment.
As weather patterns shifted eastward, firefighting efforts expanded to Greece, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. In Greece, three firefighters lost their lives as multiple fires erupted across the country, driven by severe winds. Turkey reported battling at least 115 fires, with the majority brought under control according to agricultural officials. In eastern England, a major wildfire at Dunwich Heath, an ecologically significant location, forced evacuations and road closures, marking one of the region's largest fire incidents.
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