96% of forest fires in Europe are caused by human activity, whether accidental or deliberate, according to official statistics.

Omissions

• The most recent official EU source found states that '95% of wildfires in Europe are directly or indirectly caused by human behaviour and activities' — one percentage point below the MEP's stated 96%, a difference within normal rounding and not material.
• The figure is a long-standing EU estimate (EFFIS/European Commission) and does not vary materially year to year; no 2025/2026 official statistic was found that revises it. The most recent figure found ('more than nine out of 10') is from an August 2025 updated secondary source, consistent with the claim.
• The exact percentage can vary slightly by source and by whether it refers to 'wildfires' or 'forest fires' and to the number of ignitions versus burnt area; some national data (e.g. France) cite 90% of fires by count but 96% of burnt area.

Sources

• PrimaryEuropean Commission – UCP Knowledge Network (Civil Protection Knowledge Network)It is estimated that 95 % of wildfires in Europe are directly or indirectly caused by human behaviour and activities, including...
• PrimaryJoint Research Centre / EFFIS – Current wildfire situation in EuropeOfficial EU forest fire data portal (EFFIS) reporting burnt area and number of fires in the EU; context for the EFFIS-based human-ignition estimate used across EU official communications.
• SecondaryContext by Thomson Reuters Foundation – 'In Data: Europe's wildfire challenge in charts'According to European Union data, more than nine out of 10 fires can be traced to human activities, including deliberate arson and fires started accidentally, for example, with the use of disposable barbecues.