Europe’s fires are just the start
Leaders | Climate change
Europe’s fires are just the start
They are not a new normal. But worse can nonetheless be expected
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Photograph: Getty Images
Jul 28th 2026|4 min read
From 2006 to 2025 the total area burned by fires in France every year averaged some 15,000 hectares—a bit smaller than Washington, DC. By July 28th, the fire to the west of Bordeaux which started just six days earlier had burned almost three times that. Meanwhile, some 500km to the south, savage fires advanced perilously close to Madrid. More than 300,000 people have been evacuated.
These fires may end up being the worst that Europe sees this summer. But do not bank on it. A series of heatwaves has left lots of places desiccated and flammable—and more hot weather is to come. Last year the European Union saw more than 1m hectares burn; this year could break that record.
From the August 1st 2026 edition
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