Climate
Megafires in Europe: Climate makes fire conditions 20 times more likely in Spain, study finds
A World Weather Attribution (WWA) study published on July 31, 2026 concludes that climate warming has made conditions conducive to wildfires at least 20 times more probable in Spain and at least twice as probable in France. Since early July, fires have killed people, destroyed thousands of homes, and forced over 300,000 to flee. Smoke caused pollution peaks 20 times above acceptable air quality thresholds, felt up to 400 km away. Three firefighters died in Greece. The UN climate chief calls for accelerating the transition from fossil fuels to renewables.