Human-caused climate change made Spanish, French fires much more likely, scientists calculate
Summary
Scientists found that human-caused climate change made wildfires in Spain 20 times more likely and doubled the chances of extreme fires in France. Warmer and drier weather, caused by burning fossil fuels, has increased the number of high fire-risk days in Southern Europe over the past decades.Key Facts
- Climate change caused by humans made fire conditions in Spain 20 times more likely and doubled them in France.
- The chance of severe fire weather has tripled in Spain and increased by 40% in France over 26 years.
- Southern Europe now experiences more than twice as many days with fire-prone weather than before.
- These studies measured factors like temperature, dryness, humidity, and wind to assess fire risk.
- Spain had the hottest summer on record and a wet January that helped plants grow, which later dried out and fueled fires.
- Land abandonment in Spain left dry plants and trees unmanaged, increasing fire risk.
- France's Bordeaux region has many pine trees that catch fire easily.
- Researchers made these calculations quickly while fires were still burning, using accepted scientific methods but without full peer review yet.
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