Wildfires up 57% in Europe in just four years, WHO warns

Published on

25/07/2026 - 6:16 GMT+2

This summer, wildfires have broken out in France, Germany, Greece, Spain and Portugal, with firefighters killed while battling blazes in France and Italy. From the start of the year until 22 July, 1,254 fires have been detected in Europe, emitting over 8.31 million tonnes of CO₂.

Concerningly, wildfires are becoming more frequent and intense in Europe, WHO Europe said on Friday. Portugal and Spain have each reported a 100% increase in wildfires this year compared with the same period in 2025. Since 2022, the number of wildfires has risen by 57% across the WHO European Region. Last year alone, around 2.2 million hectares burned, while 254,388 hectares had already been destroyed by 22 July this year, according to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS).

And it is only going to get worse.