Wildfires across Europe have claimed hundreds of lives in the past decade, with climate change projected to intensify this death toll. In recent years, soaring temperatures and prolonged dry spells have created conditions ripe for devastating blazes.
One of the deadliest wildfires on record in Spain occurred recently, killing at least 11 people overnight as extreme heat gripped the nation. This event highlights a broader trend across Europe, the world's fastest-warming continent, where temperatures have risen at twice the global average since the 1980s.
Scientists attribute the increasing frequency and intensity of heat waves and dryness to climate change, driven in part by the burning of fossil fuels. These conditions make regions more susceptible to wildfires.
Recent years have seen numerous deadly wildfires across the continent. In 2018, Greece experienced its deadliest wildfire in Mati, east of Athens, which resulted in over 100 fatalities. Many individuals were trapped in their homes or on roads, with some drowning while attempting to escape the flames. In 2023, Greek wildfires claimed more than 20 lives, including 18 migrants who were caught in Europe's largest single recorded wildfire in a northeastern forest. Just last week, a wildfire in northern Greece led to the deaths of a 12-year-old boy and his father.
Turkey has also been affected. Last July, 10 firefighters and rescue workers died while battling a wildfire in the northwestern Eskisehir province. The fire shifted unexpectedly due to wind changes, trapping the workers. Among the victims was a man who had returned to work from his honeymoon two days prior.
Portugal faced its deadliest wildfire in 2017 in Pedrogao Grande, where 66 people died, many on a single road while trying to flee. That year saw Portugal's wildfire-related death toll exceed 120, including an infant and their parents. In response, the Portuguese government implemented reforms, including public education, a rapid reaction firefighting force, and the creation of firebreaks.
Cyprus has also witnessed wildfires intensified by climate change, resulting in at least six deaths over the past five years. In July 2021, four Egyptian laborers were found dead after a blaze officials described as the "most destructive" the island had ever seen. Last July, an elderly couple's bodies were discovered in a burnt-out car on a mountain road. The rapid spread of that wildfire, which scorched approximately 50 square miles of forest, prompted the Cypriot president to remark on its unprecedented nature. Extremely strong winds, high temperatures, and arid conditions following minimal rainfall created a perfect storm for the blaze.
A study by World Weather Attribution in August last year indicated that climate change contributed to the intensity of massive wildfires in Turkey, Greece, and Cyprus during that summer.