Overview

• The team reports the fire-favoring conditions were about 30% more intense than in a preindustrial climate.
• Events that would have been roughly once-in-500-year fire-weather days are now expected about every 15 years, with similar-intensity heatwaves now about every 13 years in a climate roughly 1.3°C warmer.
• More than 1 million hectares burned across the EU this summer, with Spain and Portugal accounting for about two-thirds, at least eight people died, thousands were evacuated, and rail and motorway links were disrupted.
• The 13-scientist analysis assessed Daily Severity Rating—combining temperature, humidity, wind and rain—focusing on the most extreme days in northwestern Spain and northern Portugal.
• Researchers and officials highlighted unmanaged vegetation and rural abandonment as major risk factors, with calls for urgent vegetation control and Spain setting out a 10-point plan to bolster preparedness.