WHO declares health emergency as wildfire smoke spreads across Southern Europe

Wildfires are ravaging the south of Europe, with major flames burning in France, Spain, Portugal and Greece. The blazes have caused mass evacuations, infrastructure damage and loss of lives. The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that the resulting smoke constitutes an acute health emergency. WHO program director Dorota Giarosinska told Euronews Health that the smoke “is a real emergency for health” and can travel “hundreds, if not thousands, of kilometres,” degrading air quality far from the fire zones and exposing dense urban populations.

The smoke mixture contains toxic pollutants, fine particles and gases released when plastics, electronics and paints burn. These particles can penetrate the lungs into the bloodstream, triggering inflammation. Vulnerable groups—including people with asthma or chronic lung disease, heart‑condition patients, children and the elderly—are at heightened risk. WHO urges public‑health authorities to act quickly, improve public information and protect the most vulnerable.

The organization stresses that health impacts may continue long after the flames are extinguished, and calls for coordinated measures across the affected nations.