Climate change made 'fire-prone' weather conditions more likely in Spain and France, scientists say

Human-caused climate change significantly increased the likelihood of extreme weather conditions that fueled recent wildfires in Spain and France, according to scientists from the World Weather Attribution group. They found that climate change made the fire-prone conditions in southwestern France twice as likely and in central Spain 20 times more likely. These conditions, characterized by heat, dryness, and wind, are now expected to occur once every 20 years in southwestern France and once every six years in central Spain.

"We've seen repeatedly how climate change increases hot, dry, flammable conditions that are extremely conducive to wildfires,"

said Clair Barnes, a co-author of the analysis. The report also highlights that mitigating wildfire risk requires not only emergency firefighting but also proactive landscape management, such as clearing dried vegetation, especially given the pattern of wet winters followed by dry springs and summers that create abundant flammable fuel.