Wildfires Rage Across Southern Europe as July Sets Record for Hottest Month

The scorching heat of July has left much of southern Europe in smoldering ruins, with wildfires engulfing vast areas of land and forcing thousands to flee their homes. The latest blaze to make headlines is the out-of-control wildfire on the Spanish island of Tenerife, which authorities have confirmed was started deliberately. The fire has burned through over 8,400 hectares of pine forest, covering nearly 4% of the island’s surface area, and has prompted the evacuation of more than 12,000 people.

The Canary Islands regional president, Fernando Clavijo, said that police had confirmed the blaze was intentionally set and had opened three separate lines of inquiry. Clavijo praised the efforts of firefighters, who had worked tirelessly to prevent any homes from being destroyed, despite the challenging weather conditions. The governor of Tenerife, Rosa Dávila, added that the exact number of hectares burned was likely to be much higher by the end of Sunday.

In Greece, authorities have evacuated four more villages near Alexandroupolis, bringing the total number of villages forced to flee to 12. The wildfire is raging out of control and is expected to continue spreading due to strong winds. The Greek minister for civil protection, Vassilis Kikilias, has called for extreme public vigilance and warned that outdoor activities that could trigger a fire will not be permitted.

France is also feeling the heat, with over half of the mainland on extreme heat alert. Temperatures are expected to remain above 40C (104F) until at least Wednesday in 49 of 96 mainland départements. The forecaster, Météo-France, has warned of an “exceptional” heatwave, with temperatures expected to reach as high as 27C in some areas.

As the heatwaves and wildfires continue to sweep across southern Europe, scientists are warning that such extreme weather events are likely to become more frequent and intense as global temperatures continue to rise. The month of July, which has just been named the world’s hottest month on record, is a stark reminder of the devastating impact of climate change.