‘We’re being cooked alive:’ Europe burns as temperatures soar above 100 degrees

Europe is on track for its most devastating wildfire season on record, with vast areas — including France, Spain, Albania, Portugal, and Greece — battling deadly, fast-spreading blazes as temperatures soar above 100°F.

Wildfires are not new to the continent, but the climate crisis is fueling hotter, drier conditions, creating the perfect environment for more intense and destructive fire seasons.

So far in 2025, nearly 2.4 million acres have burned — more than double the average of just over 865,000 acres typically seen by early August — according to a CNN analysis of European Forest Fire Information System data. This puts the year on pace to surpass the last 19 years in total land burned.

Spain has deployed nearly 1,000 firefighters to battle blazes nationwide, with thousands of people under evacuation orders. In Tres Cantos near Madrid, a fire scorched about 2,500 acres and claimed the life of a man who suffered burns over 98% of his body. While that fire was mostly contained by Tuesday, dozens more raged elsewhere, including in Castille and Leon. In the southern tourist town of Tarifa, about 2,000 people — locals and visitors alike — were evacuated as flames crept within sight of the beaches.

Portugal is also under siege, with a major blaze near Trancoso consuming over 7,500 acres. Around 1,200 firefighters and 400 vehicles are working to contain the flames. In the Vila Real district, fires have burned for 10 days straight. Scorching heat exceeding 104°F in many regions is only worsening the crisis.

In Italy, dozens of wildfires ignited near Mount Vesuvius on Sunday, forcing the closure of mountain trails. The health ministry has issued red heat alerts for 16 cities.

In France, the southern Aude region has seen its largest wildfire since 1949. While mostly contained, officials fear it could reignite under relentless heat. At least one person has died.

The Balkans are also under threat. Albania is battling fires near the famed “Blue Eye” natural spring, while Montenegro is dealing with smoke from blazes near its capital, Podgorica. In Croatia, firefighters have contained a fire near the city of Split.

Europe, the world’s fastest-warming continent, is seeing the effects of human-driven climate change intensify. Scientists warn that without urgent action, summers like this — marked by record heat, drought, and catastrophic wildfires — will only become more frequent and severe.

Source Image: CNN

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