Europe's wildfires scorched over 5 million acres this summer, from Greece to Belgium

More than 5.4 million acres have burned in the European Union since mid-June, following over 1,000 wildfires, according to satellite data from the European Forest Fire Information System (Effis). The total burned area this summer is generally larger than the 20-year average, though it remains below the records set in 2025 and 2007. The most destructive fires occurred in July, with major blazes in Spain and France, and a historic fire in eastern Belgium. Extreme drought and heat, intensified by climate change, have fueled these fires. The Effis data, which counts fires of at least 300 acres, may differ from national figures due to methodology, and final tallies are still being updated.