Madrid: A groundbreaking scientific analysis has revealed that the scorching and wind-whipped weather which fueled this summer’s devastating wildfires in Spain and Portugal was made 40 times more probable by human-driven climate change, turning once-rare conditions into a new and dangerous reality.
The findings, released by the World Weather Attribution (WWA) group, show that extreme fire-conducive weather which might have occurred only once in five centuries in a cooler climate is now expected roughly once every 15 years. The study also found that the combined intensity of heat and drought has increased by about 30% due to rising global temperatures, making southern Europe particularly vulnerable to uncontrollable blazes.
This summer’s Iberian wildfires were among the most destructive in decades, torching over 1 million hectares across the European Union, with Spain and Portugal bearing two-thirds of the damage. The infernos claimed at least eight lives, forced thousands of families from their homes, and disrupted major rail and road networks. A punishing 16-day heatwave the longest ever recorded in the region added to the disaster’s scale and impact.
Leaders in Madrid and Lisbon have acknowledged the scale of the crisis. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez this week announced a ten-point climate resilience plan designed to strengthen coordination between national and regional authorities, improve early-warning systems, and expand preventive firebreaks. Similar measures are under discussion in Portugal, where fire brigades struggled to contain the fast-moving flames amid record-breaking conditions.
Scientists behind the report stressed that the Iberian experience is part of a broader global pattern. As climate change accelerates, extreme weather events that once seemed exceptional are becoming disturbingly routine, stretching firefighting resources and threatening ecosystems, livelihoods, and communities. “This is no longer an anomaly,” the study noted. “It is the new normal.”
The report adds urgency to ongoing debates across Europe about long-term adaptation strategies, with experts warning that without drastic emissions cuts and coordinated resilience measures, future summers could see even more devastating fire seasons across the Mediterranean.