With 2025 set to become the hottest summer on record for southern Europe, the wildfires that have plagued the region and North Africa since June this year continue. Over 5,000 fire fighters have been dealing with hundreds of new incidents breaking out over the last week with Greece, Spain and Portugal among those countries most affected.

GREECE

Greece remains on high alert, with large numbers of residents and holidaymakers already evacuated from areas worst affected. In June, on the Aegean island of Chios, forest fires forced an evacuation from a refugee camp based five miles from the main town.

Last week, gale force winds on Chios caused a wildfire to spread across 18 kilometres of land in less than 24 hours. Residents in over a dozen inland villages had to leave their homes. Coastguards also required the assistance of seven ships and numerous private boats to move residents who found themselves trapped on the shoreline.

Fire services in Kefalonia, Zakynthos, and Xirochori report the situation on these islands is currently more under control. Challenges remain in containing long-burning fires while also having to mobilise to extinguish smaller spontaneous outbreaks.

On the Greek mainland, the Achaia area surrounding the city of Patras is in a particularly vulnerable position. The rapid spread of fire due to strong winds, dry climate and temperatures climbing beyond 40C has led to chaos in both rural and urban areas. In villages near Patras, 7,700 residents were evacuated due to the risk of encroaching fire. The state-owned Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation also reported a number of the city’s municipal buildings and admissions to a paediatric hospital have been closed as a precaution.

SPAIN AND PORTUGAL

Spain and Portugal’s three-week stint of fires also continues. Six firefighters have died directly from smoke inhalation and burn injuries, indirectly through reduced visibility (through road accidents while accessing or exiting incidents), or during attempts to create ‘fire breaks’ in surrounding vegetation.

At present western areas of Castile, Leon and Galicia are among those most affected. One man was arrested for burning rubbish on an illegal dumping site that had quickly developed into the burning of 4,000 hectares of land and endangered life. In Spain, causing wildfires is an automatic criminal offence regardless of circumstances. Since June, Spanish police have arrested 10 people for carelessly or deliberately starting fires.

TRIGGERS AND INTERVENTIONS

Meteorologists use the “30-30-30” rule to predict a high risk of wildfire, referring to minimum parameters of 30C temperatures, 30% humidity and 30km/h winds. In many southern European countries, this summer has been among the hottest and driest in at least the last 20 years. Two particularly intense heatwaves have featured sustained temperatures in excess of 40C. Arson, barbeques, and careless disposal of lit cigarettes have all been implicated as triggers in the latest incidents.

Climate change, characterised by prolonged drought and heatwave conditions, has intensified the frequency of wildfires in the Mediterranean countries and North Africa. Over 500, 000 hectares of land has been destroyed in Spain and Portugal this year alone: the largest recorded amount of damage according to the European Forest Fire Information System. In Greece, 100,000 hectares of agricultural land has been affected—twice that of 2024. Recently employed strategies to mitigate the devastating effects of wildfires in Europe have been controlled burning programmes, and the creation of ‘vegetation gaps’ in agricultural and forested areas.

OUTLOOK AND TRAVEL ADVICE

Greece, Spain and Portugal have now requested additional firefighting assistance from neighbouring countries and northern Europe. In the past week, over 30 aircraft have been deployed to carry out water bomb operations in the affected Achia region of Greece and the Greek islands.

The high-risk season for wildfires in southern Europe runs from April to October. At the time of writing (21 August 2025) travellers have not been warned against travel to these countries by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. People are however advised to be vigilant of the environment, particularly when driving through woodland areas. Insurance details should also be checked before booking regarding cover in the event of flight disruptions or hotel stays caused by wildfires.

Official wildfire risk updates are available using @112Greece (on X) for mainland Greece and the islands, and the Spanish Meteorological Office (AEMET) website. In Portugal, visit the Civil Protection Authority site  for alerts, or track the development of individual wildfire incidents via FOGOS.pt .