European wildfires burned 275,000 hectares since January 1, twice 20-year average (legrandcontinent.eu)

• 275,000 hectares burned, double the 20-year average of 138,000 ha
• 56% of burned area in Iberian Peninsula, Spain hardest hit
• Climate change makes such drought five times more likely

"As of July 22, 2026, 275,000 hectares have burned in Europe since January 1, double the 2006-2025 average of 138,000 hectares. Over half of the burned area is in Spain and France, according to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS). Repeated heatwaves and drought, exacerbated by climate change, are driving the fires. A World Weather Attribution study found that such drought in Western Europe is five times more likely due to climate change."