Charred tree stumps, melted asphalt, burned-out cars and destroyed buildings: The wildfires in southern Europe are leaving a trail of devastation and causing billions of euros in damage.
Spain's economy in particular is at risk of being choked by clouds of ash. According to the EU's Copernicus Earth observation system, around 206,000 hectares of forest in Spain have already gone up in flames this year.
"According to the European Commission, the economic impact of wildfires in Spain in 2022 amounted to approximately €7.1 billion ($8.1 billion), representing around 4.5% of the country's GDP. This figure reflects not only the direct costs of firefighting but also the long-term economic consequences of recovering the affected areas," Emilio Vizuete Luciano, an economist at the University of Barcelona, told DW.
The fires often devastate the local economy and disrupt trade in the affected regions, Luciano says. "Tourism is also severely affected. Given Spain's strong dependence on tourism, the disappearance of this activity in fire-affected regions has particularly significant economic repercussions."
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