southern Europe Battles Escalating Wildfires as Heatwave Intensifies

August 8, 2023 – A surge in wildfires is sweeping across southern Europe, exacerbated by a severe heatwave forecast to extend into central and eastern regions this week. France is grappling with its largest wildfire in 75 years, while Greece and Turkey continue to battle ongoing blazes. Together, North America is experiencing a heightened wildfire season fueled by intensifying drought conditions.

France’s Largest Wildfire: In the Aude department of Occitanie, France, a wildfire that began on August 5th rapidly consumed an area equivalent to the city of Paris – approximately 105 square kilometers (40.5 square miles). The blaze resulted in one fatality and injured 13 individuals, including 11 firefighters. Authorities have evacuated residents from several villages, including parts of Louch-Mouron and Saint-Martin-de-Lenne. The fire is being fought by over 300 firefighters, supported by water-bombing aircraft.

Expanding Heatwave: A high-pressure system is driving temperatures 10-15°C (18-27°F) above average across a broad swathe of Europe.Tuesday will see temperatures of 35-40°C (95-104°F) in much of France, with localized areas possibly reaching 42°C (108°F). Spain and Portugal are forecast to experience temperatures up to 43-44°C (109-111°F). The heat will then extend into Germany and western Poland on Wednesday and Thursday, with temperatures reaching the low to mid-30s Celsius (86-95°F).

Drought and North American Wildfires: As of late June, approximately 22% of Mexico, 34% of Canada (excluding Nunavut), and 27% of the United States were experiencing drought conditions, impacting nearly 60 million people. Canada currently has 714 active wildfires, the majority of which are concentrated in western provinces like British Columbia and Alberta. These fires have caused significant air quality issues,with air quality health index values exceeding 10+ (very high risk) in several Canadian cities,including Calgary and Edmonton. The Quebec region has been particularly affected, with over 400 fires burning as of august 7th.

Long-Term Context: Increasing Wildfire risk: The increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires are linked to climate change, which is creating hotter, drier conditions conducive to fire ignition and spread. Changes in land management practices, including forest density and fuel load, also contribute to wildfire risk