Lars-Göran Uddholm: Southern Europe wildfires out of human control

Former Swedish fire chief Lars‑Göran Uddholm, now a senior fire‑engineering consultant, said the wildfires raging across Southern Europe are far larger than anything Sweden has faced. He stressed that the success of firefighting operations depends almost entirely on weather conditions, noting that “it is outside human control to handle this.”

Uddholm explained that while additional resources can aid local actions, the overall trajectory of the blazes is dictated by wind, heat and the prospect of rain. He described the fire’s daily rhythm as similar to a teenager’s, with peaks in the afternoon and a lull at night, and warned that night‑time work in the region is especially hazardous. The situation remains a major challenge for crews on the ground, especially in France’s Lacanau and near Bordeaux.