Record Europe wildfire destruction in 2022, with nearly 660,000 hectares ravaged since January, data shows

Some 659,541 hectares have been destroyed so far, according to European Forest Fire Information System data, with Spain most affected

Experts say Europe’s heatwaves, forest fires and historic drought are being driven by human-induced climate change

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Flames of a forest fire rage in the municipality of Anon de Moncayo in Spain. Photo: dpa

Published: 3:45pm, 14 Aug 2022Updated: 4:20pm, 14 Aug 2022

Europe’s blistering summer may not be over yet but 2022 is already breaking records, with nearly 660,000 hectares ravaged since January, according to the EU’s satellite monitoring service.

And while countries on the Mediterranean have normally been the main seats of fires in Europe, this year other countries are also suffering heavily.

Fires this year have forced people to flee their homes, destroyed buildings and burned forests in EU countries including Austria, Croatia, France, Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain.

Some 659,541 hectares (1.6 million acres) have been destroyed so far, data from the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS) showed, setting a record at this point in the year since data collection began in 2006.

Europe has suffered a series of heatwaves, forest fires and historic drought that experts say are being driven by human-induced climate change.

They warn more frequent and longer heatwaves are on the way.

For nearly two weeks last month, thousands of firefighters struggled to put out Slovenia’s largest wildfire in its modern history.

Fires in France this year have ravaged an area three times the annual average over the past 10 years, with blazes also active in the Alpine Jura, Isere and Ardeche regions last week.