Wildfires of extraordinary strength, attributed to global warming, raged through Spain and Portugal, according to the experts.
Record-Breaking Wildfires in Iberian Peninsula Linked to Climate Change
The wildfires ravaging the Iberian Peninsula have broken records for the area burned in both Spain and Portugal, causing devastation on an unprecedented scale.
The hot, dry, and windy conditions fueling the fires are now around 40 times more frequent and 30% more intense due to climate change, according to scientists. In a world without climate change, similar heatwaves would be expected less than every 2,500 years, but with current warming, they are expected once every 13 years.
The blazes have taken a tragic toll, with at least eight lives lost and tens of thousands forced to evacuate. The fires in Spain and Portugal make up around two-thirds of Europe's total burned area for 2025.
Spain requested international firefighting reinforcements for the first time, marking the largest such request ever facilitated by the EU. The strain on firefighters in Europe is evident as weather conditions have sparked large, unpredictable wildfires across the south of the continent, stretching the EU's resources.
Climate change has significantly increased the likelihood of such disasters. Climate science Professor Friederike Otto stated that Spain is being "hit hard" by climate change. Dr. Clair Barnes warns that the "astonishing" size of these fires is a "sign of what is to come" with hotter, drier, more flammable conditions becoming more severe with climate change.
The study highlights the need to address the root cause of these extreme weather events: climate change. Specifically, the cessation of burning fossil fuels is crucial to prevent catastrophic wildfires like those currently ravaging the Iberian Peninsula in the future.
The results of the analysis back up a similar study recently released by WWA which found that climate change also intensified weather that fueled deadly wildfires in Turkey, Greece, and Cyprus. However, there are no direct results indicating which researchers warned in 2025 specifically about the collapse of firefighting resources in Europe due to simultaneous fires.
The fires have caused smoke to travel to France, the UK, Scandinavia, and other regions, causing dangerous air quality. The total area lost to wildfires across Spain and Portugal so far this year is roughly four times the size of Greater London.
Public opinion in Spain has focused on the decline of rural activities, resulting in the growth of vegetation that has fuelled fires. The study found that similar extreme spells of hot, dry, and windy conditions would have been incredibly rare and expected once every 500 years before climate change, but are now expected once every 15 years.
In Portugal, more than 260,000 hectares have been lost, which is three times the average area burned by wildfires in a year. Professor Otto emphasizes the urgency of the situation, calling for immediate action to combat climate change and prevent such disasters in the future.
