SPAIN’S catastrophic wildfire season so far was made at least 20 times more likely by climate change, according to a new scientific study.
Researchers from the World Weather Attribution (WWA) group found that the extreme combination of heat, drought and wind that fuelled July’s devastating blazes has become dramatically more common because of human-driven global warming.
The findings come after around 150,000 hectares of land were scorched across Spain last month, with 26 major wildfires recorded.
Among them was the deadly Almeria blaze that killed 14, including seven British expats, and the huge inferno that tore through parts of Avila, Madrid and Toledo, prompting Spain to declare just its second-ever national emergency.
The WWA analysed weather conditions using the Daily Severity Rating (DSR) – an index that measures how difficult fires are to extinguish once they begin.
Scientists concluded that climate change made those dangerous conditions at least twice as likely in southwest France and at least 20 times more likely in central Spain.
They added that, under today’s climate, such conditions can now be expected once every six years in central Spain.
The study also highlighted another worrying trend behind Spain’s increasingly destructive fire seasons.
Researchers said wetter winters followed by dry springs are creating ideal conditions for large fires, as heavy rainfall encourages vegetation growth before intense summer heat dries it out into highly flammable fuel.
July capped another exceptionally hot month for Spain after June was also one of the hottest ever recorded.
According to state meteorological agency Aemet, July was the joint-hottest month on record, tied with 2022, with an average daily temperature of 25.7C across mainland Spain – 2.6C above the 1991-2020 average.
Temperatures remained above normal throughout almost the entire month, while Spain endured three separate heatwaves.
Friederike Otto, one of the WWA’s lead researchers at Imperial College London, said: “Our studies show again and again that Europe’s climate is changing faster than governments are adapting.”
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