A prolonged heatwave and dry conditions have caused soaring numbers of wildfires across Europe, with several countries reporting scorched areas far exceeding annual averages.
Spain has seen over 186,000 hectares burned so far this year, about 5.6 times the area recorded during the same period in 2025, according to preliminary data from the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge.
Italy recorded more than 1,070 major wildfires as of July 28, burning about 74,000 hectares. The central regions remain particularly hard-hit.
Portugal registered 5,729 wildfires in the first seven months of the year, burning roughly 53,000 hectares, the highest level for the period in four years, according to the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests.
The wildfire in southwestern France's Gironde department, which started on July 22, has burned about 42,000 hectares, making it the most severe forest fire in the country since 1949, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez told a press conference last Saturday.
Greece has seen repeated wildfires driven by high temperatures, dry conditions and strong winds. Over the past week, more than 12,000 hectares have been burned.
Temperatures in the Attica region, including the capital Athens, are expected to climb again, with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis warning that the situation remains "extremely critical."
In the Netherlands, a wildfire broke out on Monday at a nature reserve in Venray, in the southern province of Limburg. With dry conditions raising the risk of rapid spread, firefighting crews have been deployed in large numbers on rotating shifts. Authorities warned that the operation could take days to bring under control.
Europe battles wildfires as scorched areas far exceed annual average
Europe battles wildfires as scorched areas far exceed annual average
Europe battles wildfires as scorched areas far exceed annual average
