WHO warns of sharp rise in forest fires across Europe

Last year, Europe was hit by forest fires covering 2.2 million hectares of land, up from 1.4 million hectares in 2022.

In Portugal and Spain, the number of reported forest fires this year alone has increased by more than 100 percent compared with the same period in 2025.

The countries worst affected by forest fires in 2025 were Ukraine, Spain, Portugal, Turkey and Romania.

The smoke from the fires affects not only property but also health:

"Smoke can travel long distances and worsen heart and respiratory problems, as well as affect mental health - especially in the elderly, children, pregnant women and people with chronic diseases. Fires can also make it more difficult to access health care," the WHO writes in a statement.

The organization warns that Europe needs to prepare for more frequent and more intense forest fires in the future.

Reducing exposure to air pollution was recently included on the WHO's list of community interventions that can prevent dementia.