EU wildfires worst on record as burning season continues
17 days ago
- #climate-change
- #air-pollution
- #wildfires
- Wildfires in the EU have burned over 1 million hectares in 2025, making it the worst year on record.
- The fires have emitted 37 million tonnes of CO2, equivalent to the annual emissions of Portugal or Sweden.
- Nine other air pollutants, including PM2.5, have also reached record levels due to the fires.
- Climate change and land use changes are creating 'perfect conditions' for more frequent and dangerous wildfires.
- Heatwaves, intensified by fossil fuel pollution, have dried out vegetation, fueling hotter and more widespread fires.
- Wildfire smoke has been linked to 111,000 annual deaths in Europe between 2000 and 2019.
- Spain's wildfire emissions in 2025 are the highest in 23 years, worsened by smoke from Canadian fires.
- Air quality has severely degraded across the Iberian Peninsula and parts of France due to wildfire smoke.
- While fire weather conditions may ease in southern Europe, extreme anomalies are expected in north-west Europe.
- Scientists warn that breaking wildfire records is becoming increasingly probable each year.