In Greece, three firefighters lost their lives while trying to save people and property from wildfires, highlighting the extreme danger faced by emergency teams.
Experts say “megafires” are different from traditional wildfires because of their great intensity, and the flames can also create their own atmospheric conditions. Hot air and smoke can form pyrocumulonimbus clouds, which bring strong winds, lightning and can spark new fires far from the main front.
France and Spain are among the worst-hit countries, with tens of thousands of hectares burned this year. Greece also remains one of the hardest-hit countries, while the Evros fire in 2023 burned around 966 square kilometers and was ranked among the largest fires recorded in Europe.
Experts link the increase in fire intensity to climate change, as higher temperatures and longer periods of drought dry out the soil and create more flammable material.
However, climate change is not the only factor. Human activity, land management, and the way forest areas are treated also affect the outbreak and spread of fires.
The predictions for the coming years remain worrying, with more extreme temperatures, longer droughts and potentially larger and more difficult-to-control fires. Experts warn that this could be the “new normal” for Europe.