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- October 13, 202617°
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EU forest fires exceed 435,000 hectares as damage drops in Turkey
About 435,000 hectares of land have been burned by wildfires in the European Union since early this year, while Turkey saw a marked drop in the area scorched over the same period.
The damage caused by forest fires in European Union (EU) countries since the start of the year has increased about 25 percent compared to last year, driven by extreme heat waves linked to climate change. According to data from the European Forest Fire Information System, the total area burned reached 434,976 hectares as of July 29.
This figure corresponds to an area of about 4,350 square kilometers. The size of the burned area is 1.7 times the surface area of Luxembourg and 14 times that of Malta.
Sharp increase in July
Last July saw a marked escalation in the number of fires, resulting in heavy losses of forest cover. The areas affected this year reached about 2.5 times the average for the 2006-2025 period. The number of forest fires recorded during the same period rose to 1,407, more than double the long-term average.
Spain suffers greatest damage
Among EU countries, Spain was the hardest hit by the fires. The country saw 208,420 hectares burned, accounting for roughly half of the total burned area across the bloc. France followed with 91,024 hectares. Italy and Portugal were also among the countries severely affected by the blazes.
Marked decline in Turkey
Meanwhile, data from the General Directorate of Forestry revealed a significant reduction in forest fire damage in Turkey. While 57,005 hectares burned between January 1 and July 29 last year, only 1,867 hectares were scorched in the same period this year. The number of fires also decreased from 1,916 to 1,032.
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