In Spain, the extreme summer conditions, fueled by hot, dry, and windy weather, have ignited the worst wildfires seen in at least 30 years. World Weather Attribution’s research indicates human-caused climate change has made these fires 40 times more likely to recur.
The international collaboration analyzed weather data and concluded that the current climate makes such extreme conditions possible every 15 years, a drastic increase from the historical frequency of once every 500 years. The devastating fires affected over one million hectares in the European Union, hitting Spain and Portugal hardest.
Experts warn that without action to control land vegetation and reduce fossil fuel use, extreme weather will become more frequent. The latest analysis underscores an urgent need for global environmental policies to mitigate these changes.