The European Union recorded a record wildfire season last year, with more than 10 million stremmas (about 1 million hectares) of burned land.
EnvironmentEuropean Union
- Omissions
- The Copernicus ESOTC figure of 1,034,552 hectares refers to 'Europe as a whole', while EU-specific figures are slightly higher (1,079,538 ha per CEMS; 1,092,095 ha per JRC/EFFIS); all exceed the 1-million-hectare threshold claimed.
- The claim frames 2025 as a 'record' year: this is confirmed for the EU (most severe season on record per JRC and Copernicus) and for Europe as a whole (surpassing the 2017 record).
- Sources
- PrimaryCopernicus Climate Change Service — European State of the Climate 2025 (ESOTC 2025), WildfiresEurope as a whole saw a new record for burnt areas in 2025, at 1,034,552 hectares, surpassing the previous record of around 988,524 hectares set in 2017.
- PrimaryJoint Research Centre (European Commission) — '2025 was EU's most destructive wildfire season on record'In total, 2 242 195 hectares were burnt across all the territories analysed by EFFIS in 2025. In particular, fire destroyed 1 092 095 hectares [within the EU]. 2025 was EU's most destructive wildfire season on record.
- PrimaryEuropean Commission — Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO)The European Union experienced its most devastating wildfire season on record in 2025, with over 1 million hectares of land burnt – an area roughly equivalent to Cyprus.
- PrimaryEU Space — Copernicus Emergency Management Service (CEMS) 'OBSERVER: Record-breaking 2025 fire season in the EU'The 2025 fire season was the most severe ever documented in the EU, with a total of 1,079,538 hectares burnt across 25 EU Member States, nearly [double the previous average].