Wildfires have scorched more than one million hectares of land across the European Union this year, the highest amount since records began in 2006, according to EU data.
As of Tuesday, 1,028,000 hectares had been burned, an area larger than Cyprus, surpassing the previous record of 998,000 hectares set in 2017, the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS) reported.
Spain and Portugal have been worst affected, accounting for around two-thirds of the EU’s burned land. A sharp surge in fires between August 5–19 coincided with a 16-day Iberian heatwave, which killed at least eight people and disrupted rail and road networks.
In Spain, ten wildfires remained active on Tuesday in Castille and Leon, prompting the evacuation of around 700 people, while blazes continued in Galicia and Asturias.
In Portugal, cooler weather brought relief, with firefighters extinguishing the country’s largest recorded blaze in Piodao, which destroyed more than 60,000 hectares over 12 days.
So far in 2025, EU wildfires have emitted 38 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, more than at this point in any previous year, putting the bloc on track to break the annual record of 41 million tonnes.
Scientists warn climate change is fuelling more frequent and intense wildfires, heatwaves and droughts, though prevention measures such as clearing dry vegetation remain crucial in limiting their spread.
Source: Ekathimerini.
