Weather tracker: Why Europe’s wildfires are proving so fierce and difficult to stop
Europe is experiencing an intense wildfire season driven by a combination of record-breaking heatwaves, prolonged drought, and an abundance of dry vegetation. Experts note that these conditions make fires harder to control and more prone to spreading through both fine and heavy fuels.
Why it matters
The increasing frequency and severity of wildfires in Europe underscore the accelerating impacts of climate change on regional safety and infrastructure.
French firefighters are battling to keep the Gironde blaze from reaching Bordeaux. French firefighters are battling to keep the Gironde blaze from reaching Bordeaux. Weather tracker Spain Analysis Weather tracker: Why Europe’s wildfires are proving so fierce and difficult to stop Brendan Wood for MetDesk Wind and record-breaking heat are fuelling the continent’s explosive fire season, with Spain and France among worst hit
Explainer: what is a ‘fire cloud’, and how have they worsened wildfires in Europe?
A combination of an unusually wet winter, very low rainfall since spring and repeated record-breaking summer heatwaves is likely to explain why wildfires have ignited, spread and resisted control so readily across France and Spain in recent days .
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