Wildfires burn 647,375 hectares in the EU through September, down 35% from 2025

Wildfires have burned 647,375 hectares across the European Union through September 2, according to figures released by the European Forest Fire Information System, EFFIS. That total is 35% below the 994,419 hectares recorded during the same period in 2025.

The decline comes despite devastating fires that affected parts of France, Portugal, Spain, the United Kingdom, Germany, Croatia and Albania. In the latest seven-day period, from August 26 to September 2, fires affected 9,175 hectares across EU countries, compared with 14,541 hectares during the equivalent week last year.

Spain recorded no newly burned land during those seven days. The previous week had seen 1,713 hectares burn. EFFIS puts Spain’s total burned area for the year at 295,720 hectares, down 22%, or 85,157 hectares, from the 380,877 hectares recorded during the same period in 2025.

Spanish firefighting teams have brought the main fires reported in recent weeks under control in areas including Catalonia and the Valencia region. However, EFFIS figures for Spain differ from those released by the country’s Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge. The ministry said on Monday that forest fires had affected 264,656 hectares in Spain this year, about 80,000 hectares fewer than last year.