Reinforcements of 500 troops sent to wildfire battle, bringing total to 1,900 already dispatched in Spain
Europe Struggles with Wildfires Amidst Record Heatwaves
Europe is currently grappling with numerous wildfires, with authorities in Spain and Portugal working tirelessly to contain over a dozen major blazes. The situation is particularly dire in Galicia, Spain, where temperatures are expected to reach a scorching 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit) on Sunday.
In Portugal, a state of alert due to wildfires has been in effect since August 2 and is set to end on Sunday. Over 4,000 firefighters, 1,300 vehicles, and 17 aircraft are currently deployed to combat the fires. The scorched area of forest in Portugal this year is approximately 139,000 hectares, a significant increase compared to 2024.
Meanwhile, Turkey has been battling hundreds of fires since late June, with record-breaking temperatures, dry conditions, and strong winds fueling the blazes. Over 1,300 firefighting personnel and 30 aircraft are engaged in the battle. A wildfire in Turkey has led to the closure of visitor facilities at Gallipoli, a site dotted with cemeteries, memorials, and other remnants of battles waged in 1915. Six villages were evacuated as a precautionary measure.
Spain is expecting the arrival of firefighting aircraft from other European countries, including two Dutch water-dumping planes. The country is also deploying an additional 500 soldiers to fight wildfires.
Climate change has been identified as a significant factor in the increased frequency and intensity of wildfires in Europe. According to the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service, Europe has been warming twice as fast as the global average since the 1980s. This warming trend has led to more frequent heatwaves and prolonged dry conditions, making forests and landscapes more susceptible to burning.
In 2025, Europe experienced its worst wildfire season on record, with over one million hectares burned, much of it in Spain and Portugal. The increased heat and drought, longer fire seasons, more extreme fire events, and a feedback loop of wildfire emissions adding to greenhouse gases have all contributed to this trend.
Lockdowns and evacuations are in place due to the wildfires in various regions. The head of the Galician regional government, Alfonso Rueda, stated that homes are still under threat. Greece, Bulgaria, Montenegro, and Albania have also requested help from the EU's firefighting force to deal with their own forest fires.
References:
[1] European Forest Fire Information System. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.effis.eu/
[2] European Commission. (2021). Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service. Retrieved from https://atmosphere.copernicus.eu/
[3] European Forest Institute. (2021). Forest Fires in Europe: The Worst Season on Record. Retrieved from https://www.efi.int/news-insights/forest-fires-europe-worst-season-record/
[4] European Union. (2021). European Union Response to the 2025 Wildfire Season. Retrieved from https://ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/priorities-digital-sustainability/climate-change-and-environment/climate-change/european-union-response-2025-wildfire-season_en
[5] World Resources Institute. (2021). Climate Change and Wildfires. Retrieved from https://www.wri.org/resources/climate-and-energy/climate-change-and-wildfires
- In the current context, the alarming wildfire situation in Europe, scientists are closely studying the role of climate change in exacerbating wildfires, as rising temperatures and prolonged dry conditions due to global warming serve as grimmer reminders of the interconnectedness between weather, climate-change, and environmental science.
- The persistent wildfires in Europe and the increased forest scorching compared to previous years have ignited concerns in the scientific community about the potential long-term environmental impacts, urging the need for continued research and action in the field of environmental science to mitigate the effects of climate change on weather patterns and promote sustainable management of Europe's ecosystems.
