Europe Faces Record Forest Losses in Wildfires Over the Past Two Weeks
Unprecedented wildfires devastate Spain, Portugal, and other EU nations, burning nearly 587,000 hectares—more than the losses recorded since the beginning of the year
In the last two weeks, wildfires across the European Union have caused an unprecedented disaster, particularly in Spain and Portugal, where wooded areas have been hit the hardest. Between August 5 and August 19, an estimated 587,000 hectares of forest were reduced to ash, surpassing the total of 380,000 hectares lost from the start of the year to early August. This two-week period marks one of the most severe wildfire outbreaks recorded in recent European history.
Experts warn that soaring temperatures and human negligence are significantly increasing the risk of wildfires across the continent. According to the European Forest Fire Information System, the total area of forests burned in the EU had reached 967,000 hectares by August 19—almost four times the area lost in all of last year. In Spain, fires are currently active at 30 different sites, while Portugal continues to battle blazes in six regions.
Other European countries have also seen major losses. In Greece, 26,602 hectares burned between August 5 and 19, bringing the country’s annual total to 46,142 hectares. Portugal suffered the destruction of 106,523 hectares during the same period, with its yearly total now at 247,493 hectares. In Spain, a staggering 337,206 hectares went up in flames in just two weeks. Italy and France have also faced significant damage, highlighting the widespread impact of this historic wildfire crisis.
