Wildfires sweep Mediterranean as Europe braces for a hotter summer

Southern Europe is facing an intense wildfire season as heatwaves and dry conditions threaten to spark more blazes across the Mediterranean in the weeks ahead.

Wildfires have scorched parts of the Mediterranean this month, prompting lockdowns in Catalonia, Spain, and spreading dangerously close to Marseille, France’s second-largest city. Across Europe, more than 227,000 hectares of land have burned since January—over twice the average for this point in the year, according to the EU’s European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS).

While this figure remains below the worst recorded years, such as 2003 and 2017 when over one million hectares burned, the 2025 season is already proving more severe than usual. As of 8 July, 1,118 wildfires had been detected—up from 716 during the same period last year. Fires have also damaged more than 3% of Syria’s forests, while thousands of residents were evacuated from the Greek islands of Evia and Crete.

Experts say the Mediterranean’s increasingly hot and dry summers heighten wildfire risk. Once a blaze ignites, dry vegetation and strong winds allow it to spread rapidly. Climate change intensifies these dangers, as higher temperatures and more frequent heatwaves create drier conditions, allowing fires to grow larger and burn longer. Europe has warmed at twice the global average since the 1980s, according to the World Meteorological Organization.

Looking ahead, the threat is likely to persist. EFFIS forecasts above-average temperatures across Europe in August, with below-average rainfall in many central and eastern regions. Although southern areas may see typical precipitation levels, much of the continent could face heightened fire danger.

Governments are stepping up their response. Greece has deployed a record 18,000 firefighters and adjusted its patrols and response strategies to detect wildfires earlier. However, declining rural populations in countries like Spain have made forest management more difficult, allowing flammable vegetation to accumulate.

The United Nations is urging countries to prioritise fire prevention over response. This includes carrying out controlled burns ahead of the fire season, restoring wetlands and peatlands, and improving land management. Without stronger preventive action, the U.N. warns, the number of extreme wildfires globally could increase by up to 14% by 2030.

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