Brussels: Europe is experiencing a record-breaking wildfire season in 2025, with experts blaming the severity on climate change, according to Euro News. Higher temperatures and lower rainfall are fueling wildfires throughout the continent.
More than one million hectares have been burned by wildfires in the European Union this year, an area larger than the island of Corsica. According to Euro News, this is more than four times the area burnt in 2024. In all, the EU has reported over 1,800 forest fires, releasing over 38 million tonnes of CO₂.
Among the 27 EU member countries, only the Czech Republic, Estonia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, and Malta reported no wildfires. Italy and Romania each reported over 450 fires, placing them atop the list.
However, the nations that sustained the most damage were not necessarily those with the most wildfires. Cyprus, for example, reported only three fires, but they were quite destructive.
Since January, Spain has lost more than 400,000 hectares to wildfires, whereas Portugal has lost over 260,000 hectares, accounting for 3% of the country's total area. According to Euro News, the island accounts for 0.8% of Spain's land area.
Many of the fires we have tracked and seen are taking place in locations where climate anomalies indicate that it is much drier and warmer than usual. According to Mark Parrington, a researcher with the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather, the average is normal. Any source might start a massive fire that spreads quickly and gets extremely intense in hot, dry conditions, according to him.
According to specialists, climate change is largely to blame for the strong wildfire season.
According to Alexander Held, a fire management specialist at the European Forest Institute, a combination of factors, including weather, terrain, flora, biomass, and fuel, are required to trigger a fire. The weather is essential for everything to happen, according to Held, who spoke with Euro News.
Climate change projections offer the ideal setting for all of the other elements to combine and create a perfect fire day or firestorm. He warned that these circumstances are expected to become more frequent in the future, placing a greater burden on firefighting resources.
According to Held, proactive landscape management is critical for ensuring that firefighters may perform safely and effectively. Our firefighting strategy is reaching its limits, and the only thing we can do is prepare the environment, making it more durable and well prepared. That way, firefighters will be able to perform effectively and safely, according to him.
According to professionals quoted by Euro News, techniques to reduce fire risk include removing vegetation, controlled burning, grazing, and agroforestry systems that integrate agricultural production with trees.
