Wildfire Crisis Escalates Across Europe and North America.

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Wildfires are currently threatening Europe and North America, burning vast areas of woods, destroying entire forests, and forcing thousands of people to evacuate their homes. As the effects of this crisis continue to impact numerous regions, the international community is calling for concrete action.

According to the most recent data issued by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), more than 434,000 hectares have burned across Europe this year alone, with the Alpine arc experiencing the highest concentration of wildfires. More specifically, wildfires have destroyed about 42,000 hectares of pine forests in France, forcing thousands of people to evacuate the area. In Spain, a new negative record has been set, with more than 200,000 hectares burned, which is twice the country’s historical average, making it one of its worst wildfire seasons in decades. The situation in North America is similar, with more than 1,849,000 hectares burned in the United States (US) this year and more than 3,770,000 hectares in Canada, where many large fires remain out of control. To a lesser extent, wildfires are also threatening other countries, particularly in Africa and Latin America. "It's horrible, it's our home, it's our region, it's our forest, it's where we grew up, it's where our family live, where we live, it's horrible. I feel a lot of sadness," a French victim commented.

The consequences of the crisis are devastating. Local populations must cope with ecosystem degradation, biodiversity loss, declining agricultural productivity, health impacts, and costly reconstruction efforts even after the fires have been extinguished. Moreover, entire communities are forced to evacuate at short notice, while homes, infrastructure, and livelihoods may be lost. In addition, wildfire smoke affects local air quality, but it can also travel thousands of kilometers across continents, borders, and oceans, causing harmful effects far from the source. For example, air quality warnings have been issued across New York State as a result of Canada's recent wildfires, which have once again blanked skies across the US with health threatening smoke pollution. From an economic perspective, wildfires are estimated to cost the EU alone about 2.5 billion euros annually due to infrastructure damage, lost tourism revenue, and economic disruption. WIldefires are also accelerating the climate crisis, having released an estimated 1.8 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide in 2021.  

While wildfires can occur naturally, human activity remains the primary cause. In fact, 9 out of 10 fires are caused by people, either through negligence and deliberate acts. For this reason, experts emphasize that many wildfires can be prevented through greater public awareness, stronger laws and regulations, and the implementation of advance warning systems that enable governments and communities to take timely action. 

The international community is calling for stronger action to reduce the impacts of the crisis. UN Climate Change Executive Secretary, Simon Stiell stated: “What needs to be done is equally clear: leave coal, oil and gas behind faster, scale up renewables and protect people where the impacts are already hitting hardest.” He also stressed accurate monitoring, forecasting, cross-border data sharing, and early warnings are essential to protect lives, livelihoods, and ecosystems. “Every summer reminds us that wildfire is no longer an exceptional event but an increasingly predictable consequence of a warming climate. While emergency response remains essential, our greatest opportunity lies in prevention, sustainable forest management and building more resilient landscapes and communities.” said Paola Deda, Director of UNECE’s Environment and Forests Division.

written by Ludovica Muncibì