Human-caused climate change made the extreme weather driving devastating wildfires in Spain and France significantly more probable, according to a rapid analysis released Friday by World Weather Attribution. The hot, dry and windy conditions fuelling the blazes were at least 20 times more likely in central Spain and at least twice as likely in south-western France, the group found.
Fires burning since early July have displaced more than 250,000 people and destroyed thousands of homes after authorities struggled to contain blazes that killed at least 14 people this year. In today's climate, fire weather of this intensity can be expected roughly once every six years in central Spain and once every 20 years in south-western France. Rainy winters followed by dry springs heighten the fire risk in both regions.
Air quality deteriorated sharply, with fine particle pollution in Bordeaux reaching 20 times acceptable European levels. Poor air was detected up to 400 kilometres away, and nearly 100,000 people in Spain were confined to their homes.