France and Spain have been battling some of their biggest wildfires on record.
Southern Europe is "becoming more flammable," with the number of summer days primed for extreme fire conditions more than doubling since 1981, a new study found Thursday.
Scientists said the "major intensification" of fire-prone weather was driven by climate change and especially pronounced in France and Spain, which have been battling some of their largest blazes since records began.
There were fewer fires today compared with the 1980s but more extreme and fast-spreading infernos, said the study, which assessed national wildfire statistics and weather and climate data.
The steep increase in the frequency of fire weather—characterized by searing temperatures, low humidity, dryness and strong winds—"can only be attributed to global warming," said study co-author Raul Cordero.
