How Deadly Wildfires Are Impacting Communities Across Europe
ROME — Wildfires swept across parts of Italy, France, and Spain on Wednesday, killing three firefighters and forcing thousands to evacuate as scorching temperatures and strong winds fueled the blazes.
In Sicily, around 6,000 emergency personnel battled dozens of fires that have raged for days across the Mediterranean island. A firefighter died after falling ill while fighting the flames, Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said. More than 160 fires were also recorded in Calabria, where officials said some were deliberately set.
In France, two firefighters died on Tuesday tackling a blaze that broke out near Bordeaux airport. Two major fires displaced thousands in the southwest, with one ravaging around 2,000 hectares in the Arcachon Basin region. A fire in the Var region along the Mediterranean coast consumed 2,550 hectares and forced some 400 people to evacuate. In total, 12,000 people have been evacuated in southwest France.
In Spain, authorities ordered evacuations in several districts around the city of Toledo after a major wildfire threatened homes. Emergency alerts were sent to residents, and three villages were evacuated. Another major fire, about 100 kilometers north of Madrid, has already devastated 32,000 hectares.
Southern Europe is enduring another spell of severe heat, with temperatures topping 40°C in some areas. Scientists agree that human-caused climate change is making extreme weather events such as fires and heatwaves more likely and more severe. In 2025, more than 393,000 hectares were consumed by flames in Spain, the worst toll in the country’s recent history.
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