Europe ablaze: nearly half a million hectares burned, France has its worst year since 2012

By mid-August 489,826 hectares had burned in the European Union, 13 percent above the 2012–2025 average, according to Global Wildfire Information System data published by Euronews. That made 2026 the fourth-worst season for that point in the year, behind 2012, 2022 and 2017.

Spain was hit hardest, with 185,948 hectares, more than double its average. France lost 99,092 hectares, more than three times its average and its worst year since 2012. Italy followed with 79,084, Portugal with 47,776 and Greece with 23,839 hectares.

Evacuations and records

More than 320,000 people were evacuated in France and Spain. A fire near Ávila burned more than 42,000 hectares, and Belgium had its biggest wildfire in over a century. "Fire risk is no longer confined to the Mediterranean," Simone Varotto of Henley Business School told Euronews.