WORLDJul 30 · 14:51 UTCCARBON BRIEFCarbon Brief Staff

Factcheck: No, Europe is not having its ‘quietest’ year for wildfires

Climate sceptics and rightwing commentators have shared misleading charts suggesting Europe is experiencing its 'quietest' year for wildfires in 2026, but the data includes Russia and Siberia, skewing the results. A factcheck by Carbon Brief reveals the European Union's 2026 wildfire area burned is second only to 2022, with France setting a modern record and Spain facing one of its worst seasons, displacing over 350,000 people.

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Carbon BrieforganizationEuropean UnionplaceFranceplaceSpainplaceMatt RidleypersonMatthew WielickipersonGlobal Wildfire Information SystemorganizationEuropean Forest Fire Information Systemorganization

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