EU Responds to Deadly Wildfires in Spain and Greece Amidst Rising Temperatures

Wed Oct 22 2025 17:28:46 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

As wildfires rage across southern Europe, the EU lends crucial support to Spain and Greece, activating emergency assistance mechanisms and signaling an urgent battle against climate-induced fire risks.

As Spain grapples with deadly wildfires leading to multiple fatalities, the EU has dispatched firefighting planes to help combat the blazes. The heatwave exacerbates conditions, while Greece is also facing severe wildfires, prompting similar emergency measures.

The European Union has sprung into action, dispatching two firefighting planes to assist Spain in its battle against rampant wildfires, marking the first activation of the bloc's disaster assistance mechanism. This crucial support comes on the heels of reported wildfire-related fatalities, with a third death recorded early Thursday morning. As fire risk remains elevated, temperatures are predicted to reach as high as 44°C in some regions, compounded by moderate winds that threaten to spread the flames even further.

Spain, having seen one of the largest numbers of wildfires in Europe this year, has now requested international assistance, joining the ranks of Greece, Bulgaria, Montenegro, and Albania, which have all activated EU emergency help for similar disasters. Two French Canadair water bomber aircraft arrived in north-western Galicia to bolster local firefighting efforts. “The fight against fires knows no borders,” stated Pedro Blanco, a government representative in the region. Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska noted the planes were preemptively requested for immediate deployment when needed.

Tragically, the recent wildfires have led to the deaths of two volunteer firefighters, with a man near Madrid also succumbing to injuries sustained from the flames. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez expressed his condolences, underscoring the sheer human cost of this natural disaster.

Amid rising tensions regarding potential arson, Spanish authorities have arrested two men for allegedly starting fires in Castille and León, bringing the total number of arrests related to wildfire arson since June to ten. In addition to human casualties, the wildfires have devastated over 157,000 hectares of land across Spain this year.

The situation is similarly dire in Portugal, where more than 1,900 firefighters are actively combatting several significant wildfires. The Portuguese government has extended a state of alert, continuing efforts to protect lives and land.

Wildfires are an unfortunate summer staple in southern Europe, often worsened by extreme heat and dry weather conditions resulting from climate change. With EU data showing an alarming 629,000 hectares have burned across member states this year—one-quarter of this occurring in Spain—experts warn that climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of such natural events.

In Greece, wildfires continue to threaten regions like Chios and Achaia, and authorities are on high alert, with emergency services battling flames amid a heatwave. Evacuations are underway while firefighters work against the odds, marking a critical moment for nations across Europe facing unprecedented wildfire threats during this intense summer.