EU warns of record wildfire season as flames engulf Spain, France and Greece
The EU Emergency Response Coordination Centre has warned that Europe faces one of the worst wildfire seasons on record, with risk expected to rise sharply in early August. Fires continue to blaze across Spain, France, Greece and Italy, prompting evacuations of more than 90,000 people in Spain and around 260,000 in France. Two firefighters were killed in a blaze in Rethymno, Greece.
The EU has deployed seven aircraft and four helicopters to assist French fire‑fighting efforts and six aircraft with ground crews to Spain. Copernicus satellite data shows over 200,000 hectares have already burned in Spain – about 0.4% of the country’s territory – and predicts roughly 1,200 forest fires in 2026, double the usual annual average. Wildfires have released more than eight tonnes of CO₂ in the EU this year.
Officials say the combination of high temperatures, dry winds and low rainfall is fueling the spread, and the situation could expand to Greece, Italy and Central Europe in the coming weeks.
Entities: Copernicus · European Union · France · Greece · Maria Zoubert · Maria Zuber · Portugal · Spain
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 2 SOURCES] Two firefighters died in a fire in Rethymno, Greece. (new)
- [● 4 SOURCES] The EU Emergency Response Coordination Centre warned Europe could face one of the worst wildfire seasons in history, with risk increasing in early August. (new)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Over 90,000 people have been evacuated in Spain due to wildfires. (new)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Wildfires in the EU have already emitted more than eight tonnes of CO₂ this year. (new)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Around 260,000 people have been evacuated in France because of wildfires. (new)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Copernicus data predicts roughly 1,200 forest fires in 2026, double the annual average of 569. (new)
- [● 2 SOURCES] The EU has deployed seven aircraft and four helicopters to France, and six aircraft with ground crews to Spain. (new)
- [DISPUTED] More than 200,000 hectares have burned in Spain, about 0.4 % of its territory. (new)