2024 was Europe’s hottest year since records began in 1940.
According to the European Environment Agency, more frequent droughts and heat waves combine with more frequent droughts and heat waves to create highly flammable landscapes.
Portugal recorded the largest burning area in the EU in 2024, with about 450 km2 of land being destroyed.
The fire occurred early in the wildfire season on Madeira, then in the mainland around mid-September.
After Portugal, Bulgaria and Spain were countries where the flames consumed more land where 310.9 km2 and 186.5 km2 were burned, respectively.
It is not the first time a wildfire has hit Portugal the most violently.
In 2017, the country experienced a very devastating fire season. A total of 117 people were killed, and 902.6km² was burned.
Although this year’s fire season is not over, from the beginning of the year until July 15th, the burned-out areas are already three times higher, according to the Portugal National Institute of Nature Conservation.
Between 2000 and 2024, wildfires burned an average of 3,770 km² of EU land each year.
This accounts for an average annual average of 10% of forests and 21% of grasslands burned in the EU.
It is estimated that wildfires will cost 2.5 billion euros each year due to destruction or serious damage to buildings and infrastructure, such as power lines, water supply and transportation routes.
They can also block tourists and hit the local economy that rely on tourism.
What caused the wildfire?
The European Environment Agency estimates that human actions and activities, such as negligence and arson, account for 95% of European wildfires, directly or indirectly.
Often, humans activate near the border between the built area and semi-natural or wild areas, such as roads and towns adjacent to the forest.
However, human ignition alone does not directly affect the spread and strength of the fire.
Only 1.2% of European fires burned 65% of the total area.
The chances of wildfires becoming out of control depend on the type of vegetation, the fuel on the ground, topography, and weather conditions (high temperature, low relative humidity, fast winds).
As temperatures rise due to climate change, the risk of wildfires becoming more frequent, severe and long-term in Europe is also higher.
A 2025 survey concluded that firefighters who were directly involved in Portugal’s 2017 extreme fire season showed a limited understanding of extreme fire behavior and minimal attention to precautions.
