European wildfires surge in 2026 following record-breaking 2025 season
European wildfires are surging in 2026, with France experiencing six times its average burned area following a record-breaking 2025 fire season across the continent.
Wildfires in 2026 are setting severe records across Europe following an already devastating 2025 season. Data from the European Forest Fires Information Service indicates that 2025 was previously the worst year on record for total burned land across the continent. However, figures for 2026 show further escalations, with France recording six times more burned area than its typical average for this time of year.
Experts warn that despite millennia of human experience with fire, effective landscape management remains elusive as changing climate conditions and intense heatwaves continue to fuel unpredictable blazes across Europe.
Sources: The Irish Times.