Three major wildfires that occurred within days of one another in Spain and France this month have been confirmed as among the 15 largest recorded within the European Union since 2016. Data provided by the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS), which utilizes satellite imagery analysis, highlights the severity of this year's fire season.
In Spain, the most significant wildfire in the country's recent history began on July 22 in the province of Avila, west of Madrid. The blaze, which remains active, has consumed nearly 44,000 hectares, or 109,000 acres, marking it as the sixth-largest fire recorded in the EU over the past ten years. Additionally, a wildfire in the Guadalajara province, east of Madrid, has now reached the 14th position on the list of the EU's largest fires since 2016, with over 33,000 hectares burned.
France also saw record-breaking activity this month, with its largest wildfire since 1949 burning near Bordeaux starting July 22. Although currently considered stabilized, the fire is the eighth-largest in the EU over the last decade, having destroyed more than 38,000 hectares, or 94,000 acres. France has recorded its highest annual burned area since EFFIS began tracking records in 2006, with approximately 91,000 hectares scorched between the start of the year and the end of July.
Spain is also seeing extreme conditions, with the area burned so far this year five times higher than the 20-year average for this date. While the country has not yet surpassed its highest cumulative record for the end of July, it is approaching that threshold. Across the European Union, approximately 15 countries, including Italy, Belgium, Germany, and Portugal, have exceeded their long-term average for burned land.
The largest fire recorded by EFFIS in the EU since 2016 remains the 2023 blaze in the Evros region of Greece, which burned more than 96,000 hectares. The following three largest fires occurred in Portugal during 2017 and 2025. Scientists note that recurring heatwaves, driven by the burning of coal, oil, and gas, are clear indicators of global warming and warn that such events are likely to become more frequent, intense, and prolonged. EFFIS officials caution that their figures may vary from national data due to methodological differences and that estimates are subject to updates as new satellite imagery is processed.
READ ALSO: Why Europe won't get any new Canadair water bombers any time soon
READ ALSO: Fire-hit France region 'coming up for air' as main blaze calms
