Damage from fires in Europe is forecast to reach unprecedented levels not seen since record-keeping began in 2006. According to data from the European Forest Fire Information System (Effis), approximately 660,000 hectares of land have burned from the start of the year until 13 August. This figure is 56% higher compared to previous data recorded during the same period in 2017, when 420,913 hectares were destroyed.

Trends suggest that by the end of the year, fires could destroy more than a million hectares of forest in total. In 2017, the figure was 988,087. On 14 August, Effis announced on Twitter that the "situation across Europe is improving", though it still pointed to a "very high risk" in some regions of Spain, including Andalusia, Aragon and Catalonia.

"Extreme danger" is still forecast for territories in Belgium, France, Germany, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom.

As mentioned, Spain has been hit hardest by forest fires, having evacuated approximately 1,500 people from towns in the country's north-east at the end of last week.
Photograph by Ricardo Faria used