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Climate change fueled wildfires in Spain and Portugal

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By illuminem briefings

· 2 min read


illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on Deutsche Welle or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: A new scientific analysis has found that climate change made the deadly wildfires in Spain and Portugal this summer 40 times more likely and 30% more intense
The fires, which scorched over 640,000 hectares of land and killed at least 8 people, were fueled by extreme heat and drought conditions linked directly to the burning of fossil fuels, according to the World Weather Attribution (WWA) network

🔭 The context: The Iberian Peninsula experienced its hottest 10-day stretch on record in late July, followed by weeks of intense wildfires
Spain and Portugal alone accounted for two-thirds of Europe’s total burned land in 2025
The region’s fire-prone topography, combined with decades of depopulation and unmanaged vegetation, created conditions ripe for large-scale blazes
Spain was forced to request international firefighting aid for the first time

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: The findings highlight how even 1.3°C of global warming has drastically increased the severity and frequency of wildfires
Beyond the loss of life and biodiversity, the fires emitted 38 million tons of CO₂, accelerating climate change further
Scientists warn that without urgent action to phase out fossil fuels, Europe will face more frequent, catastrophic fire seasons that overwhelm emergency services and devastate ecosystems

⏭️ What's next: Policymakers are under renewed pressure to implement preventive land management practices, such as controlled burns, rewilding, and forest thinning, while phasing out fossil fuels to curb emissions
The EU is likely to expand disaster response coordination and funding, while nations review resilience strategies for vulnerable rural regions
The next IPCC report may integrate findings like these to sharpen risk projections under different warming scenarios

💬 One quote: “Wildfires in Europe show that 1.3°C of warming today is already incredibly dangerous. Without a faster shift away from fossil fuels, we could hit 3°C this century,” said Prof. Friederike Otto, climate scientist at Imperial College London

📈 One stat: So far in 2025, Europe has seen over 1 million hectares burned—the highest annual total ever recorded

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illuminem's editorial team, providing you with concise summaries of the most important sustainability news of the day. Follow us on Linkedin, Twitter​ & Instagram

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