France

Europe Battles Record Wildfires Amid Heatwave

Published AUG 13 2025

Story

Above: Firefighters work to extinguish a wildfire near the city of Patras, Greece on Aug. 13, 2025. Image credit: Aris Messinis/AFP/Getty Images

The Facts

Europe is on track for its worst wildfire season on record with nearly 2.4 million acres consumed by fires as of Tuesday, more than double the average amount of land burned which would normally be just over 865,000 acres by early August.
BBC News
CNN
European Conservative
In Spain, nearly 6,000 people have been evacuated from their homes as wildfires continue to burn amid a heatwave that could bring temperatures of 44°C (111°F) to some parts of the country, with its interior minister issuing a call for help from other European nations on Wednesday.
CNN
guardian
Express.co.uk
Reuters
A man died in hospital after suffering 98% burns in a blaze in Tres Cantos near Madrid, while a volunteer firefighter was killed in Spain's northwestern Castile and Leon region, as nearly 1,000 soldiers assist with the fires nationwide.
ABC News
Sky News
Washingtontimes
In Greece, more than 152 new fires broke out in the past 24 hours alone with around 4,850 firefighters engaged in a multi-front battle to contain flames that forced evacuations from tourist islands of Chios and Zakynthos.
RFI
BBC News
Daily Mail
In Portugal, more than 1,800 firefighters and around 20 aircraft were deployed against five major blazes, with efforts focused on a fire in the central municipality of Trancoso that has raged since Saturday.
Fox41 Yakima
RFI
Turkey has seen 18 die in fires that began in June, including 10 forestry and rescue workers, with a large blaze in northwestern Canakkale province forcing evacuation of hundreds of residents and temporarily closing the Dardanelles Strait to shipping.
Bloomberg.com
Washingtontimes
Breitbart

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The Spin

Climate activist narrative

These devastating wildfires represent the new normal as climate change accelerates across Europe. Scientists have clearly linked the increasing frequency and intensity of these blazes to human-caused global warming, with Europe warming twice as fast as the global average. The burning of fossil fuels continues to release heat-trapping gases that create the climatic conditions fueling these vast fires.

Guardian

Climate-concerned narrative

While climate factors play a role, many of these fires stem from preventable human actions and inadequate preparation. Spanish authorities arrested a firefighter who confessed to starting a fire for potential income from extinguishing it. Poor forest management, improperly maintained power cables, and insufficient emergency resources have worsened the crisis.

Reuters

European State Forest Association

Climate-skeptic narrative

The visceral nature of the images coming out of places like Europe has seen many jump to blaming climate change, which the data just does not support. Fewer people than ever are dying from climatic disasters, going in the face of activist narratives, and less of the world is burning in wildfires than ever before. Climate alarmism is a real threat that clouds our perception of the world and the issues at hand.