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Fires in Europe: Is 2026 the worst year ever recorded?

2026-08-13 23:45:37Aktualitet SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
Fires in Europe: Is 2026 the worst year ever recorded?
Fires in Europe

Wildfires have ravaged Europe this summer. In France and Spain alone, more than 320,000 people had been evacuated by the end of July. The fires continue as heatwaves spread as mid-August approaches.

Measuring the cost of wildfires is complicated. The area burned is easy to measure, but the economic impact and other effects require more effort.

"The fires in Europe this year confirm that their economic cost goes far beyond the restoration of burnt land," says Professor Simone Varotto, from Henley Business School at the University of Reading.

"The final bill will include destroyed homes, businesses and crops, disrupted tourism and industry, smoke-related health effects and increased pressure on public finances."

However, the burned area indicates the extent of the fires and their potential impacts.

As of early August, 2026 ranks fourth in the EU for cumulative area burned by fires according to Our World in Data, which relies on the Global Wildfire Information System.

By week 31, 489,826 hectares had been burned in the EU. This is the highest figure after 2012 (863,122 ha), 2022 (799,040 ha) and 2017 (743,906 ha).

The 14-year average from 2012 to 2025 in this period was 434,711 ha in the EU. The year 2026 is 55,115 ha, or 13%, higher than this average.

All figures compare the same point in the year, which is the end of the 31st week.

Varotto noted that fires in Europe have mainly hit forests, shrubs, pastures and agricultural land, with some also affecting cities and urban areas.

38% of the area burned by fires in the EU is in Spain.

Spain has been the country most affected by fires in the EU in terms of area burned. As of the beginning of August 2026, 185,948 hectares had burned this year. This represents 38% of the EU total.

Between 2012 and 2025, an average of 85,626 hectares had burned in Spain by week 31 each year. In 2026, the figure is more than double the average.

As of week 31, 2026 is the third worst year for cumulative area burned by fires in Spain since 2012, where the data begins in this comparison.

Spain lost 258,340 ha in 2022 and 211,350 ha in 2012.

France is second, with 99,092 ha during this period, corresponding to 20% of the EU total.

The 14-year average for France is 31,648 hectares. The 2026 figure is more than triple this average.

2026 is the worst year for France since 2012. France lost 86,888 ha to fires in 2019, the second highest figure.

Since the beginning of August 2026, Italy (79,084 ha), Portugal (47,776 ha) and Greece (23,839 ha) have also been severely affected by fires.

For Italy, 2026 is the fifth worst year in the last 15 years for the area burned by fires. The same goes for Portugal.

In comparison, 2026 has been a less severe year for Greece. The country recorded larger areas burned by fires in several previous years.

Several countries saw significant growth in 2026.

While the cumulative area burned by fires is relatively lower, several countries recorded a significant increase in 2026 compared to their 14-year average.

For example, Austria lost 1,687 ha this year since the beginning of August, compared to an average of 513 ha. Denmark lost 1,177 ha compared to 404 ha. Germany lost 6,045 ha compared to 3,098 ha. The Netherlands lost 1,677 ha compared to 352 ha.

This is the case for other countries as well, which, according to experts, shows that Europe is burning more than ever.


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