Europe's wildfires: a total burnt area of 419 298 ha in 2024; "2025 on track to be the worst year" (JRC)

"The 2024 wildfire season in the European Union finished with a total burnt area of 419 298 ha, which is slightly above the average of the period 2006-2023", according to a Joint Research Center (JRC) report entitled "Forest fires in Europe, Middle East and North Africa", released on 05/12/2025.

According to the European forest fire information system (Effis), which maps fires in 42 countries (EU27, other European countries and Middle East and North africa countries), "a total area of 1 866 900 ha has burnt in 2024."

According to the 2024 data collected under the Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM) countries (EU countries and 10 additional bordering the EU), "the traditional fire season, from early June to mid-September, continues to expand, with serious wildfires occurring both earlier and later". In this area, 334 940 hectares burnt in 2024.

Among the most affected countries :
• in the EU : Bulgaria, Italy, Portugal and Spain, "with a combined burnt area of 334 940 hectares" ;
• in the non-EU UCPM countries : Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Türkiye and Ukraine…