Europe facing worst wildfire season on record 

Europe is facing its most severe wildfire season on record, as prolonged heatwaves and drought transform large areas into tinderboxes. Spain and Portugal are the hardest-hit nations, with fires spreading rapidly under extremely high temperatures and parched landscapes.

According to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS), 439,568 hectares have already burned across EU countries this year, which is an area larger than Luxembourg. This is more than double the 19-year average of 218,417 hectares and far above the 188,643 hectares recorded in the same period last year.

In Spain, where temperatures surpassed 44°C in several regions in August, 1,900 soldiers were deployed to tackle multiple blazes, including 12 in Galicia alone. Portugal has mobilised more than 5,000 firefighters, with its burnt forest area already 17 times higher than last year. France has also been contending with its largest wildfire since 1949 in the Aude region, requiring over 2,100 firefighters.

Wildfires are simultaneously affecting Greece, Italy, Turkey, and the Balkans, intensifying concerns about climate-driven fire risks across southern Europe.

EFFIS data show that wildfires have generated 14.11 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions in Europe thus far in 2025, in comparison with 9.59 million tonnes during the same period last year, highlighting the escalating environmental cost of this unprecedented fire season.