In June through August 2022, parts of
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
, the
Middle East
The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabian Peninsula, Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Anatolia, Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Pro ...
and
North Africa
North Africa, or Northern Africa is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region, and it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of Mauritania in ...
were affected by
wildfire
A wildfire, forest fire, bushfire, wildland fire or rural fire is an unplanned, uncontrolled and unpredictable fire in an area of Combustibility and flammability, combustible vegetation. Depending on the type of vegetation present, a wildfire ...
s. The bulk of the fires affected
Mediterranean Countries
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the eas ...
, with the main areas affected being
Algeria
)
, image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg
, map_caption =
, image_map2 =
, capital = Algiers
, coordinates =
, largest_city = capital
, relig ...
,
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
,
Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...
,
Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
and
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
.
By country
Albania
In
Krasta and
Krujë
Krujë ( sq-definite, Kruja; see also the etymology section) is a town and a municipality in north central Albania. Located between Mount Krujë and the Ishëm River, the city is only 20 km north from the capital of Albania, Tirana.
Kruj ...
, more than of forest were destroyed by wildfires. There were also large fires reported in
Lezhë County
Lezhë County ( sq, Qarku i Lezhës) is one of the 12 counties of Albania. The population as of 2021 was 120,678, in an area of 1620 km². .
Algeria
![حريق القالة 14](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/80/%D8%AD%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%82_%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A9_14.jpg)
Wildfires which broke out in August have killed at least 38 people, 24 in the city of
El Tarf, and injured at least 200 others. They caused 350 people to be evacuated, according to Minister of Interior
Kamel Beldjoud.
Croatia
Three large wildfires in the
Zadar
Zadar ( , ; historically known as Zara (from Venetian and Italian: ); see also other names), is the oldest continuously inhabited Croatian city. It is situated on the Adriatic Sea, at the northwestern part of Ravni Kotari region. Zadar serv ...
and
Šibenik
Šibenik () is a historic city in Croatia, located in central Dalmatia, where the river Krka flows into the Adriatic Sea. Šibenik is a political, educational, transport, industrial and tourist center of Šibenik-Knin County, and is also the ...
area destroyed around 20 homes in the village of
Raslina by
Lake Prokljan. The fire was extinguished by 18 July.
Cyprus
On 23 June, a wildfire destroyed at least of forest on the foothills of the
Kyrenia Mountains
The Kyrenia Mountains ( el, Κερύνειο Όρος; tr, Girne Dağları) is a long, narrow mountain range that runs for approximately along the northern coast of the island of Cyprus. It is primarily made of hard crystalline limestone, w ...
.
Czech Republic
![Canadair CL-415 cut](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c8/Canadair_CL-415_cut.jpeg)
A forest fire occurred in the
Bohemian Switzerland
Bohemian Switzerland ( cs, České Švýcarsko; german: Böhmische Schweiz), also known as Czech Switzerland, is a picturesque region in the north-western Czech Republic.
It has been a protected area (as Elbe Sandstone Mountains Protected Landscap ...
National Park on 24 July 2022. It has been burning during large heatwaves, in the difficult-to-access terrain of the Malinový důl gorge in the national park area near
Hřensko
Hřensko (german: Herrnskretschen) is a municipality and village in Děčín District in the Ústí nad Labem Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 300 inhabitants.
Administrative parts
The village of Mezná is an administrative part of Hřen ...
. Firefighters have been working since Sunday morning, they also evacuated dozens of tourists, 60 people from the camp in Dolský mlýn and residents of the village of
Mezná. Firefighters and helicopters from
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...
,
Slovakia
Slovakia (; sk, Slovensko ), officially the Slovak Republic ( sk, Slovenská republika, links=no ), is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the s ...
,
Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
and Germany also responded to the fire.
On 26 July, the smell of smoke from a forest fire was noticed as far away as
Vysočina,
Prague
Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate ...
,
Ústí nad Orlicí District
Ústí nad Orlicí District ( cs, okres Ústí nad Orlicí) is a district ('' okres'') within Pardubice Region of the Czech Republic. Its capital is the town of Ústí nad Orlicí. The district has borders with Pardubice District to the west, Svit ...
,
Svitavy District
Svitavy District ( cs, okres Svitavy) is a district (''okres'') within Pardubice Region of the Czech Republic. Its capital is the town of Svitavy. As a part of Pardubice Region the district has borders with Ústí nad Orlicí District to the nor ...
and
Dresden
Dresden (, ; Upper Saxon: ''Dräsdn''; wen, label=Upper Sorbian, Drježdźany) is the capital city of the German state of Saxony and its second most populous city, after Leipzig. It is the 12th most populous city of Germany, the fourth larg ...
. As of 26 July, the fire affected of forest.
France
July Gironde Fires
In July, estimated total of more than were burnt by the wildfires in
Gironde
Gironde ( US usually, , ; oc, Gironda, ) is the largest department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of Southwestern France. Named after the Gironde estuary, a major waterway, its prefecture is Bordeaux. In 2019, it had a population of 1,62 ...
, causing a total of 36,750 people to be evacuated.
The fire at
La Teste-de-Buch
La Teste-de-Buch (; oc, La Tèsta (de Bug) ) is a commune in the Gironde department, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Southwestern France.
It is located on the south shore of Arcachon Bay, lying in the southwestern part of Gironde.
It is the largest of four ...
started at around 15:00 on 12 July. The mayor of La Teste-de-Buch, Patrick Davet, said that the cause of the fire may have been a vehicle that could have had electrical problems and ignited a fire on the side of a road near the
Dune of Pilat
The Dune of Pilat ( French: ''Dune du Pilat'', official name), also called ''Grande Dune du Pilat'', is the tallest sand dune in Europe. It is located in La Teste-de-Buch in the Arcachon Bay area, France, 60 km (37.2 mi) southwest of Bo ...
.
In the evening, authorities evacuated five hamlets and the village of
Guillos near Landiras as a precautionary measure. Five hundred people were evacuated and no casualties were reported from this fire. The D115 and D125 roads were closed to traffic.
[
On 13 July, in the area close to the fire, an evacuation of five campsites began, with around 6,000 holidaymakers fleeing as a cautionary measure.] They were sent to the exhibition centre and the Leclerc shopping centre in La Teste-de-Buch. The D218 road was cut off by the fire between Pilat and the beach at Biscarosse. No injuries were reported. At the La Teste-de-Buch fire, in the district of Arcachon had been burnt since 12 July.[ By midday, the fire in this area had increased to .]
At the Landiras fire, had been burnt since 12 July and no injuries were reported. The prefecture activated two operational command posts manned by the SDIS of the Gironde to coordinate operations. Nearly six hundred firefighters were engaged to fight the fire. Two Canadair water bombers were deployed and two Dash aircraft, with additional reinforcements allocated from other areas of France.[ By midday, the fire in this area had increased to .][
By the morning of 14 July, had been burnt in Arcachon near La Teste-de-Buch with no injuries reported.] The fire was not under control and was difficult to access. From 5 a.m., sixty people were evacuated from an area north of Cazaux. The D218 road remained cut between the roundabout at Pilat and the beach at Biscarosse remained closed.[ By the early evening, had been destroyed as two houses and campsites near the lake were under threat.] Further evacuations took place in the afternoon around Cazaux and 4,000 evacuees were now being housed as a reception centre at La Teste-de-Buch.[
In Landiras, had burnt near Langon by the morning with no injuries reported. The fire was not under control and the D115, D125 and D220 roads were closed.][ Guillos and the hamlets of Lahon and Hil et Petit-Hil were evacuated and by the evening, the fire had burnt through .][
Nearly one thousand firefighters, four Canadairs and two Dash aircraft had been mobilised. The prefect, Fabienne Buccio placed the Gironde department on Orange alert due to the weather conditions and the risk of other forest fires.]
By the morning of 15 July, had burnt at the La Teste-de-Buch, the fire having reached the lake at Cazaux while 10,000 people had been evacuated so far. The fire was still not under control and at Cazaux three houses and two restaurants had been destroyed. Bulldozers were brought in to attempt to build firebreaks ahead of the fire.[ Around a thousand firefighters, three Canadairs and one Dash aircraft were being deployed to fight the fires in both areas that morning.][
Evacuees from the campsites around La Teste-de-Buch, evacuated since 12 July, returned on 15 July, with individuals allowed to return to the sites to pack up their camping gear and luggage.] Most inhabitants of Cazaux were not allowed back to check on their homes and pets.[
had been destroyed near Landiras, but increased to by the evening.][ Further evacuations had been carried out throughout the day at ]Louchats
Louchats (; oc-gsc, Loishats) is a commune in the Gironde department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwestern France.
Population
See also
*Communes of the Gironde department
*Parc naturel régional des Landes de Gascogne
Landes de Gascogn ...
, Origne, Balizac and La Broque
La Broque (; ) is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in the Grand Est region in Northeastern France. In 2018, it had a population of 2,646.
See also
*Communes of the Bas-Rhin department
The following is a list of the 514 communes of the Bas ...
with around 1,900 evacuated.[ One house at Guillos had been destroyed and more roads closed in the fire area.]
Greece and Italy made two Canadair water bombers available for France.[ They arrived in France that morning, being mobilised to the south of France. President Emmanuel Macron visited the Ministry of Interior's crisis centre in Paris to be briefed on the progress to fight the fire.][
On 16 July, some inhabitants of Cazaux were allowed through to retrieve belongings and pets while others could not go due to the road to the town being overrun again by fire. The fire at La Teste-de-Buch fire was contained but still burning with the possibility of becoming out of control if the temperatures stayed high and the winds rise again.][
The town of ]Cabanac-et-Villagrains
Cabanac-et-Villagrains (; oc-gsc, Cabanac e Vilagrans) is a commune in the Gironde department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwestern France.
Population
See also
*Communes of the Gironde department
The following is a list of the 535 Communes o ...
was evacuated as were 1,900 people from the Hostens
Hostens ( Gascon: ''Ostens'') is a commune in the Gironde department in southwestern France. It is around 35 km south of Bordeaux.
Population
See also
*Communes of the Gironde department
*Parc naturel régional des Landes de Gascogne
...
.[ At Hostens, an evacuation order was issued but residents were not obliged to leave and if they chose to stay, they had to declare that position.][ The amount of vegetation and forest burnt in the two fires now stood at under .][ Two new accommodation centres were opened in Saucats and ]Belin-Béliet
Belin-Béliet (; oc-gsc, Belin e Beliet) is a commune in the Gironde department in southwestern France. It was created in 1974 by the merger of the former communes Belin and Béliet.
Population
The population data given in the table below for ...
.[
Aerial water bombers dropped of fire retardant on the fire fronts to stop the progress of the fire.] It had been reported that so far only four firefighters were injured, one fire appliance overturned and one was burnt. Three thousand buildings had been saved.[
President of the Gironde Departmental Council, Jean-Luc Gleyze pleaded for more Canadair and Dash aircraft on site to fight the fire as some Canadair water bombers had been moved to other areas in France.] Some, he complained, had arrived too late and made containing the fire harder. He said if the fire at La Teste-de-Buch could be contained between the coast and Lac de Cazaux, then more resources could then be moved to the Landiras.[
Jean-Marc Pelletant, mayor of Landiras said a team of prosecutors from Bordeaux had arrived and were investigating if there was any criminal activity responsible for the fire, a situation he was not aware of.]
On 17 July, the evacuation of 2,100 people in Cabanac began during the day with more than 16,000 people evacuated since 12 July.[ The prefecture announced at midday that around had been burnt in the two fires.] 1,500 firemen from all over France were fighting the fire. At the La Teste-de-Buch fire, had burnt while at the Landiras fire, had been lost.[ The fire at Landiras was said to have a perimeter of by with several fire heads.][
Midday at the La-Teste-de-Buch fire, saw the construction of firebreaks continued with the fire fought on left and right flanks to protect campsites and dwellings.] During the day at the Landiras fire, the DFCI (Défense des Forêts Contre les Incendies) continued to build firebreaks in front of the fire.[ By evening, had burnt at La-Teste-de-Buch and at Landiras after the fire situation deteriorated during the afternoon, with fire at the former having reached the ocean at ]Banc d'Arguin
The Banc d'Arguin National Park ( ar, حوض أركين) of Bay of Arguin lies in Western Africa on the west coast of Mauritania between Nouakchott and Nouadhibou and is the former mouth of the Tamanrasset River. The World Heritage Site is a ...
and turned south. And at Landiras, the fire had several fronts when the wind changed. Resources to fight the fire had been increased but were still to deploy with an additional three aircraft, two hundred firefighters and eleven more fire appliances allocated.[ In the Landiras region, two new shelters were opened in Langon while one was closed at Saucats.]
On 18 July, in the La Teste-de-Buch and Landiras areas, more than 16,000 people were evacuated as fires continue to spread across Gironde.
In Brasparts, Monts d'Arrée
The Monts d'Arrée, or Menezioù Are in Breton, are an ancient mountain range in western Brittany which forms part of the Armorican massif. Historically it marked the border of the regions of Cornouaille and Léon
Leon, Léon (French) or León (Sp ...
, Finistère
Finistère (, ; br, Penn-ar-Bed ) is a department of France in the extreme west of Brittany. In 2019, it had a population of 915,090. , a large moorland fire started, forcing the evacuation of 300 people while more than 1700 hectares burned. It was caused by two distinct fires a few kilometers apart, both of human origin, one obviously criminal according to Quimper
Quimper (, ; br, Kemper ; la, Civitas Aquilonia or ) is a commune and prefecture of the Finistère department of Brittany in northwestern France.
Administration
Quimper is the prefecture (capital) of the Finistère department.
Geography
The ...
prosecutor Carine Halley.
August Gironde Fires
more than 1,000 firefighters are fighting a megafire
A megafire is an extraordinary wildfire, fire that devastates a large area. They are characterized by their intensity, size, duration, and uncontrollable dimension. There is no precise scientific definition.
Definition
The concept may v ...
in Gironde
Gironde ( US usually, , ; oc, Gironda, ) is the largest department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of Southwestern France. Named after the Gironde estuary, a major waterway, its prefecture is Bordeaux. In 2019, it had a population of 1,62 ...
, which has destroyed about of forest and forced 10,000 residents to flee. Firefighters from Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...
, Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...
, Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
and Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
and helicopters from Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...
, Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
and Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
helped extinguish the fires.
Germany
On 25 July, a forest fire covering an area of led to the evacuation of 700 people in the villages of Rehfeld and Kölsa in the state of Brandenburg. Seven firefighters suffered injuries.
Wildfires in the Czech Republic
The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...
crossed the border to the Saxon Switzerland
Saxon Switzerland (german: Sächsische Schweiz) is a hilly climbing area and national park around the Elbe valley south-east of Dresden in Saxony, Germany. Together with the Bohemian Switzerland in the Czech Republic it forms the Elbe Sands ...
on 25 July 2022 with fires near Großer Winterberg
Großer Winterberg is a mountain of Saxony, southeastern Germany. It is the second highest mountain of the Saxon Switzerland and is located on the border between Germany and the Czech Republic
The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is ...
and Kirnitzschtal
Kirnitzschtal is a former municipality in the Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge district, in Saxony, Germany. Since 1 October 2012, it is part of the town Sebnitz. It had its administrative seat in Lichtenhain.
The municipality was divided into th ...
.
On 4 August, a fire broke out at an explosives disposal site in Grunewald Grunewald is the name of both a locality and a forest in Germany:
* Grunewald (forest)
* Grunewald (locality)
Grünewald may refer to:
* Grünewald (surname)
* Grünewald, Germany, a municipality in Brandenburg, Germany
* Grünewald (Luxembourg), ...
, a forest in Berlin. Due to the fire, the Bundesautobahn 115
is an autobahn in Berlin, Germany. It connects the Bundesautobahn 100, Berliner Stadtring with the Bundesautobahn 10, Berliner Ring, using parts of the old AVUS race track. AVUS was opened in 1921 as Germany's first limited access road. After Wor ...
, a highway located approximately from the explosives disposal site, remained closed for all traffic until the evening of 10 August, when it was confirmed that the safety of travellers would not be compromised by any remaining explosives inside the forest.
Greece
Wildfires broke out on 14 July, affecting areas near Preveza
Preveza ( el, Πρέβεζα, ) is a city in the region of Epirus, northwestern Greece, located on the northern peninsula at the mouth of the Ambracian Gulf. It is the capital of the regional unit of Preveza, which is part of the region of Epiru ...
. Seven villages near Rethymno
Rethymno ( el, Ρέθυμνο, , also ''Rethimno'', ''Rethymnon'', ''Réthymnon'', and ''Rhíthymnos'') is a city in Greece on the island of Crete. It is the capital of Rethymno regional unit, and has a population of more than 30,000 inhabitants ( ...
were evacuated because of fires.
On 19 July, a wildfire broke out near the Pantokratoros Monastery
Pantokratoros Monastery ( el, Μονή Παντοκράτορος) is a Greek Orthodox monastery in the monastic state of Mount Athos in Greece. It stands on the north-eastern side of the Athos peninsula, and is dedicated to the Transfiguration ...
. The villages of Drafi
Drafi ( el, Ντράφι) is a residential settlement located in a semi-mountainous slopped region in the municipal unit of Pikermi, in the municipality Rafina–Pikermi, East Attica, Greece. It is situated east of Athens city center, on the slope ...
and Pallini
Pallini ( el, Παλλήνη) is a suburban town in Greater Athens Area and a municipality in East Attica, Greece. The seat of the municipality is the town Gerakas. It is the seat of administration of the East Attica regional unit.
Geography
...
were evacuated.
Italy
A wildfire broke out on 15 July in a corn field in Bibione
Bibione is a ''frazione'' of the ''comune'' of San Michele al Tagliamento, in the Metropolitan City of Venice, Veneto, northern Italy. It is a seaside resort, particularly popular among German, Austrian, Czech and Slovak tourists.
The city offers ...
, San Michele al Tagliamento
San Michele al Tagliamento is an Italian Municipality with 11,930 inhabitants in the Metropolitan City of Venice, Veneto, Italy.
SS14, one of the main State Highways (Italy), passes through the commune, whose ''frazione'' of Bibione is a popula ...
.
On the evening of 18 July a large fire breaks out in Massarosa
Massarosa is a city and ''comune'' in the province of Lucca, Tuscany, Italy. The city is near Lucca and Pisa.
The city hosts Massarosa International Piano Competition.
Sister cities
Massarosa is twinned with:
* Gmina Łużna, Poland
* Tei ...
(Province of Lucca
Lucca ( , ) is a city and ''comune'' in Tuscany, Central Italy, on the Serchio River, in a fertile plain near the Ligurian Sea. The city has a population of about 89,000, while its province has a population of 383,957.
Lucca is known as one o ...
), which in 5 days has destroyed beyond 900 hectares (at 22 July) until it reaches the Province of Pisa
The province of Pisa ( it, provincia di Pisa) is a Provinces of Italy, province in the Tuscany region of central Italy. Its capital is the city of Pisa. With an area of and a total population of 421,642 (), it is the second most populous and fif ...
.
Lebanon
On 9 July, a large wildfire engulfed a pine forest near Nabatieh
Nabatieh ( ar, النبطية, links=no, ', ), or Nabatîyé (), is the city of the Nabatieh Governorate, in southern Lebanon. The population is not accurately known as no census has been taken in Lebanon since the 1930s; estimates range from ...
.
Malta
On 18 July, a wildfire broke out in grassland in Mriehel.
Morocco
In July 2022, at the same time as wildfires across Europe, Morocco
Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to ...
was affected by large wildfire
A wildfire, forest fire, bushfire, wildland fire or rural fire is an unplanned, uncontrolled and unpredictable fire in an area of Combustibility and flammability, combustible vegetation. Depending on the type of vegetation present, a wildfire ...
s as a result of historic heatwaves
A heat wave, or heatwave, is a period of excessively hot weather, which may be accompanied by high humidity, especially in oceanic climate countries. While definitions vary, a heat wave is usually measured relative to the usual climate in the ...
. The Royal Moroccan Armed Forces
The Royal Moroccan Armed Forces (, ) are the military forces of the Kingdom of Morocco. They consist of the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, the Royal Gendarmerie, and the Royal Guard.
The Royal Moroccan Armed Forces are large, expensive and well ...
and firefighters have struggled to get the situation under control. The forests of Taza
Taza ( ber, ⵜⴰⵣⴰ, ar, تازة) is a city in northern Morocco occupying the corridor between the Rif mountains and Middle Atlas mountains, about 120 km east of Fez and 150 km west of Al hoceima. It recorded a population of 148 ...
, Tetouan and Larache
Larache ( ar, العرايش, al-'Araysh) is a city in northwestern Morocco. It is on the Moroccan coast, where the Loukkos River meets the Atlantic Ocean. Larache is one of the most important cities of the Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region.
Many ...
have been burning. 500 families were evacuated from the provinces of Larache
Larache ( ar, العرايش, al-'Araysh) is a city in northwestern Morocco. It is on the Moroccan coast, where the Loukkos River meets the Atlantic Ocean. Larache is one of the most important cities of the Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region.
Many ...
and Taza
Taza ( ber, ⵜⴰⵣⴰ, ar, تازة) is a city in northern Morocco occupying the corridor between the Rif mountains and Middle Atlas mountains, about 120 km east of Fez and 150 km west of Al hoceima. It recorded a population of 148 ...
. 1,331 families were evacuated from 20 villages, and around 170 houses were destroyed south of the port of Tangier
Tangier ( ; ; ar, طنجة, Ṭanja) is a city in northwestern Morocco. It is on the Moroccan coast at the western entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar, where the Mediterranean Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Spartel. The town is the cap ...
.
One person was killed during the fires, and of forest have been destroyed.
Portugal
The Algarve
The Algarve (, , ; from ) is the southernmost NUTS II region of continental Portugal. It has an area of with 467,495 permanent inhabitants and incorporates 16 municipalities ( ''concelhos'' or ''municípios'' in Portuguese).
The region has it ...
region and the districts of Leiria
Leiria (; cel-x-proto, ɸlāryo) is a city and municipality in the Central Region of Portugal. It is the 2nd largest city in that same region, with a municipality population of 128,640 (as of 2021) in an area of . It is the seat of its own distr ...
and Santarém have been most affected by wildfires. One fireplane
Fireplane is a computer internal interconnect created by Sun Microsystems.
The Fireplane interconnect architecture is an evolutionary development of Sun's previous Ultra Port Architecture (UPA). It was introduced in October 2000 as the processo ...
pilot was killed when the plane crashed. In July, a total of were burnt by wildfires. In Leiria
Leiria (; cel-x-proto, ɸlāryo) is a city and municipality in the Central Region of Portugal. It is the 2nd largest city in that same region, with a municipality population of 128,640 (as of 2021) in an area of . It is the seat of its own distr ...
, a fire blocked a part of the A1 which runs from Porto
Porto or Oporto () is the second-largest city in Portugal, the capital of the Porto District, and one of the Iberian Peninsula's major urban areas. Porto city proper, which is the entire municipality of Porto, is small compared to its metropol ...
to Lisbon
Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Grande Lisboa, Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administr ...
. In Algarve
The Algarve (, , ; from ) is the southernmost NUTS II region of continental Portugal. It has an area of with 467,495 permanent inhabitants and incorporates 16 municipalities ( ''concelhos'' or ''municípios'' in Portuguese).
The region has it ...
, a fire broke out in the city of Faro, which spread to the Quinta do Lago
Quinta do Lago is a golf resort in Almancil, in the Algarve region of southern Portugal. Quinta do Lago comprises one of the three corners of the Golden Triangle of the Algarve's most affluent communities.
The community hosted the Portuguese O ...
resort. A fire in the municipality of Palmela
Palmela () is a town and a municipality in Portugal. The population in 2011 was 62,831, in an area of 465.12 km².
The municipality is located in the Lisboa Region and Setúbal District, about south of Lisbon. The municipal holiday is 1 Ju ...
in the Lisbon metropolitan area
The Lisbon Metropolitan Area ( pt, Área Metropolitana de Lisboa; abbreviated as AML) is a metropolitan area in Portugal centered on Lisbon, the capital and largest city of the country. The metropolitan area, covering 18 municipalities is the l ...
burned of bush and caused 12 injuries. According to the Civil Protection Authority, at least 135 people have been injured since wildfires began, and about 800 people have been evacuated from their homes.
On 31 July, firefighters battled a large wildfire in the municipality of Mafra
Mafra is a Czech media group that publishes printed and internet media, headquartered in Prague, Czech Republic. It is a subsidiary of Agrofert holding conglomerate owned by trust of Andrej Babiš, the former Prime Minister of the Czech Repu ...
near the town of Venda do Pinheiro.
On 21 August, a wildfire broke out in the Vila Real District
The District of Vila Real ( pt, Distrito de Vila Real ) is a district of northern Portugal. With an area of , the district is located east of the port city of Porto and north of the Douro River. Vila Real has always belonged to the historical ...
. A fire tornado was filmed in the area.
Romania
On 5 July, a wildfire destroyed 100 hectares of a wheat field in Timiș County
Timiș () is a county ('' județ'') of western Romania on the border with Hungary and Serbia, in the historical region of Banat, with the county seat at Timișoara. It is the westernmost and the largest county in Romania in terms of land area. T ...
.
Slovenia
On 17 July, wildfires broke out in the Karst
Karst is a topography formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum. It is characterized by underground drainage systems with sinkholes and caves. It has also been documented for more weathering-resistant ro ...
region on the Italy–Slovenia border
The Italian–Slovenian border is a land border between the Republic of Italy and the Republic of Slovenia.
Path
The border starts in the Alps at the tripoint connecting the Austria–Italy border and the Austria–Slovenia border. It end ...
and more than 300 firefighters were battling the flames. The Karst wildfires continued to spread until 20 July, causing evacuations of a number of villages. There were several foreign aircraft that assisted the domestic ones in battling the flames and monitoring the affected areas. Approximately of land were burnt, making it the most extensive spread of wildfires ever recorded in Slovenia. On 22 July, when the Karst wildfires started to spread again, there were more than 800 firefighters and 260 foresters on location.
In the early morning of 24 July, there were rain showers in the Karst region, but precipitation only occurred in part of the areas affected by the Karst wildfires, which continued to burn due to strong winds and high temperatures. By the end of the day, approximately 2,000 people and several domestic as well as foreign aircraft succeeded in stopping these wildfires from spreading further. On 25 July, they were confirmed to be under control, but not yet fully extinguished, after burning an estimated of land in the municipalities of Miren–Kostanjevica and Renče–Vogrsko. At that time, many of the people who fought the flames the previous day already left the affected areas and all foreign aircraft returned to their home countries. As strong winds and slow-burning flames could still start a new spread, a total of 518 people, including approximately 325 firefighters, kept monitoring the situation in the most critical parts of the affected areas.
Although there were periods of rain in the Karst region on 26 July, precipitation in the areas affected by the Karst wildfires was low. As it was assessed that strong winds could still contribute to flames igniting in natural environments, a total of 143 firefighters remained on location during the day and their number was reduced to 58 during the night. In the early morning of 27 July, a wildfire broke out at a previously unaffected location in the municipality of Komen
Komen (, it, Comen or ''Comeno'') is a settlement in Slovenia. It is the seat of the Municipality of Komen. It is located on the Karst Plateau in the Slovenian Littoral.
Name
Komen was attested in written sources in 1247 as ''Cominum'' (and as ...
, but it was soon put under control by a total of 180 firefighters and only an estimated of land were burnt. A number of smaller fires also broke out in the previously affected areas as firefighters and helicopter crews continued to monitor the situation. In the days that followed, they only reported minor fires that burned without spreading and did not register any significant changes on the Slovenian side of the border. However, a new wildfire started to spread on the Italian side of the border on 28 July, which caused up to 60 Slovenian firefighters and one helicopter to relocate there and assist in the efforts to put it under control. After new periods of rain in the Karst region on 30 July, the Karst wildfires were under control on both sides of the border. However, they were not yet considered fully extinguished and the affected areas on the Slovenian side of the border were monitored by up to 60 firefighters.
On 1 August, it was announced that 10 firefighters would continue to monitor these affected areas as long as it would be assessed that flames could ignite in natural environments. The estimation in regard to the land area affected by the Karst wildfires on the Slovenian side of the border was updated to that day, of which approximately 82% were in the municipality of Miren–Kostanjevica. The blazes mostly affected forests and grasslands, but also olive groves and vineyards. They destroyed a mountain hut
A mountain hut is a building located high in the mountains, generally accessible only by foot, intended to provide food and shelter to mountaineers, climbers and hikers. Mountain huts are usually operated by an Alpine Club or some organization d ...
and several small agricultural buildings, but did not cause any damage to residential buildings and only around 60 cases of minor injuries were recorded. On 3 August, it was reported that the areas affected by the Karst wildfires on the Slovenian side of the border would be cleared of burnt wood within three weeks.
On 1 August, a wildfire broke out on a hill in the vicinity of Lake Bled
Lake Bled ( sl, Blejsko jezero; german: Bleder See, Veldeser See) is a lake in the Julian Alps of the Upper Carniolan region of northwestern Slovenia, where it adjoins the town of Bled. The area is a tourist destination. The lake is from Ljublj ...
, a popular tourist destination, affecting a forest and burning above a railway tunnel, but it was extinguished within hours.
On 9 August, a wildfire broke out in a previously unaffected area on the Italy–Slovenia border, burning in a shrubland
Shrubland, scrubland, scrub, brush, or bush is a plant community characterized by vegetation dominated by shrubs, often also including grasses, herbs, and geophytes. Shrubland may either occur naturally or be the result of human activity. It m ...
in the hills near Socerb
Socerb ( or ; in older sources also ''Sacerb'', Italian: ''San Servolo'')Snoj, Marko. 2009. ''Etimološki slovar slovenskih zemljepisnih imen''. Ljubljana: Modrijan and Založba ZRC, p. 386. is a village in the City Municipality of Koper in the Li ...
in the municipality of Koper
Koper (; it, Capodistria, hr, Kopar) is the fifth largest city in Slovenia. Located in the Istrian region in the southwestern part of the country, approximately five kilometres () south of the border with Italy and 20 kilometres () from Triest ...
, further south from the areas affected by the July wildfires in the Karst region. After the blaze was noticed during the night, approximately 80 firefighters and two helicopters were activated to stop its spread. It was thought to be under control by noon, but it started spreading again during the afternoon, when approximately 120 firefighters and several aircraft from both sides of the border were battling the flames. In the evening, the wildfire was reported to be under control, but the location was still closely monitored due to the blowing of the bora. On the morning of 11 August, it was reported that the wildfire was extinguished. The affected area, which encompassed an estimated of land, was watered and monitored by approximately 150 firefighters and several aircraft the previous day.
On 10 August, there were three smaller forest fires near Radovljica
Radovljica (; german: Radmannsdorf) is a town in the Upper Carniola region of northern Slovenia. It is the administrative seat of the Municipality of Radovljica.
Geography
The town is located on the southern slope of the Karawanks mountain range, ...
, which were extinguished within hours. They broke out next to a railway and were confirmed to have been caused by the braking of a train.
In the early afternoon of 17 August, a forest fire broke out in the hills near Zalog, a neighbourhood on the outskirts of the capital Ljubljana. Two helicopters and more than 110 firefighters were activated to stop its spread. As the night fell, around 60 firefighters stayed on location and successfully put the blaze under control. The area it affected is accessible only by foot and no residential buildings were in danger.
On 19 August, a warning of heightened risk of fires breaking out in natural environments, which was issued for several municipalities on 20 July, was lifted in the municipalities of Miren–Kostanjevica, Renče–Vogrsko and Komen, which were affected by the July wildfires in the Karst region, as well as in the municipality of Koper, which was affected by the wildfire near Socerb earlier in August.
On 6 September, the ARSO The Slovenian Environment Agency (Slovenian: ''Agencija Republike Slovenije za okolje'' or ''ARSO'') is the main organisation for environment of the Republic of Slovenia. It was established in 2001 with a reorganisation of the ''Hydrometeorological ...
confirmed that a total of of land were burnt by wildfires in Slovenia in 2022.
Spain
Wildfires broke out in the Sierra de Mijas
The Sierra de Mijas is a mountain range in southern Spain, part of the coastal mountain range that lies behind the Costa del Sol Occidental, in Andalusia. It separates the Valle del Guadalhorce region from the Costa del Sol.
The highest point is ...
mountains, which forced 2,300 to flee near the Costa del Sol
The Costa del Sol (literally "Coast of the Sun" or "Sun Coast") is a region in the south of Spain in the autonomous community of Andalusia, comprising the coastal towns and communities along the coastline of the Province of Málaga and the easte ...
. In July, Extremadura
Extremadura (; ext, Estremaúra; pt, Estremadura; Fala: ''Extremaúra'') is an autonomous community of Spain. Its capital city is Mérida, and its largest city is Badajoz. Located in the central-western part of the Iberian Peninsula, it ...
experienced wildfires which spread to Salamanca
Salamanca () is a city in western Spain and is the capital of the Province of Salamanca in the autonomous community of Castile and León. The city lies on several rolling hills by the Tormes River. Its Old City was declared a UNESCO World Heritag ...
in Castile and León
Castile and León ( es, Castilla y León ; ast-leo, Castiella y Llión ; gl, Castela e León ) is an autonomous community in northwestern Spain.
It was created in 1983, eight years after the end of the Francoist regime, by the merging of the ...
and burnt more than .
In Aragon
Aragon ( , ; Spanish and an, Aragón ; ca, Aragó ) is an autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. In northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces (from north to sou ...
, on July 18 a fire started in Ateca
Ateca is a municipality located in the province of Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain. At the time of the 2015 census (INE), the municipality had a population of 1,969.
The River Jalón is joined by the River Piedra and the River Manubles at Ateca.
The ...
, burning 14,000 hectares. On August 13 another fire starts, in the Moncayo Range
Moncayo is a 15 km long and about 7 km wide mountain chain giving name to the Tarazona y el Moncayo comarca, Aragon, Spain. The Moncayo's highest summit, San Miguel (), is the highest point in the 500 km long Sistema Ibérico.
The ...
, burning 6,000 hectares. On 14 August, more than 1,500 people were evacuated from Zaragoza, Spain
Zaragoza, also known in English as Saragossa,''Encyclopædia Britannica'"Zaragoza (conventional Saragossa)" is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain. It lies by the Ebro river and its tributari ...
, due to wildfires.
Tunisia
On 19 June, a wildfire broke out in Jebel Boukornine near the capital Tunis
''Tounsi'' french: Tunisois
, population_note =
, population_urban =
, population_metro = 2658816
, population_density_km2 =
, timezone1 = CET
, utc_offset1 ...
.
Turkey
On 24 June, a wildfire raged in the Bördübet region, near Marmaris
Marmaris () is a port city and tourist resort on the Mediterranean coast, located in Muğla Province, southwest Turkey, along the shoreline of the Turkish Riviera.
Although Marmaris is known for its honey, its main source of income is internationa ...
on the Aegean Sea
The Aegean Sea ; tr, Ege Denizi (Greek language, Greek: Αιγαίο Πέλαγος: "Egéo Pélagos", Turkish language, Turkish: "Ege Denizi" or "Adalar Denizi") is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea between Europe and Asia. It ...
coast.
On 13 July, a wildfire broke out on the Datça Peninsula
Datça is a district of Muğla Province in south-west Turkey, and the center town of the district. The center is situated midway through the peninsula which carries the same name as the district and the town (Datça Peninsula). It was a nahiya of ...
. 450 houses and 3,530 people were evacuated from the area.
United Kingdom
In 2022, there were nearly 25,000 wildfires across the United Kingdom.
On 23 April, a large wildfire broke out on Canford Heath
Canford Heath is a suburb and area of heathland in Poole, Dorset, known for being the largest heathland in Dorset, and the largest lowland heath in the UK. It is also the name of the housing development built on the heathland in the 1960s, 197 ...
in Dorset
Dorset ( ; archaically: Dorsetshire , ) is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The ceremonial county comprises the unitary authority areas of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and Dorset (unitary authority), Dors ...
. Twenty homes were evacuated, and an area of roughly was burnt. Dozens of animals were reported killed, and Dorset Wildlife Trust
Dorset Wildlife Trust (DWT) is a wildlife trust covering the county of Dorset, United Kingdom. The trust was founded in 1961 as Dorset Naturalists' Trust, to protect and conserve the wildlife and natural habitats of the county.
DWT is one of 4 ...
said that it would take 15 years for the heath to be restored. On 25 April, Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service investigators said that the fire was started deliberately. On 14 May yet another fire broke out on the heath. On 22 May, a third fire broke out. The fire service confirmed that it was once again due to "human intervention".
On 13 August, a wildfire burned near West Calder
West Calder ( sco, Wast Cauder, gd, Caladar an Iar) is a village in the council area of West Lothian, Scotland, located four miles west of Livingston, West Lothian, Livingston. Historically it is within the County of Midlothian. The village was ...
in West Lothian
West Lothian ( sco, Wast Lowden; gd, Lodainn an Iar) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and was one of its shires of Scotland, historic counties. The county was called Linlithgowshire until 1925. The historic county was bounded geogra ...
for three days.
On 20 August, a heath fire was extinguished on Dewlands Common in Verwood
Verwood is a town and civil parish in eastern Dorset, England. The town lies north of Bournemouth and north east of Poole as the crow flies. The civil parish comprises the town of Verwood together with the extended village of Three Legged C ...
, Dorset
Dorset ( ; archaically: Dorsetshire , ) is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The ceremonial county comprises the unitary authority areas of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and Dorset (unitary authority), Dors ...
. On 21 August, a wildfire burned on Bourne Valley Nature Reserve in Dorset
Dorset ( ; archaically: Dorsetshire , ) is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The ceremonial county comprises the unitary authority areas of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and Dorset (unitary authority), Dors ...
.
See also
* 2022 European heat waves
From June to August 2022, persistent heatwaves affected parts of Europe, causing evacuations and over 20,000 heat stroke, heat-related deaths, making these heat waves the deadliest meteorological events in 2022. The highest temperature recorded ...
* 2022 United Kingdom heat waves
* Climate change in Europe
Climate change in Europe has resulted in an increase in temperature of 1.9 °C (2019) in Europe compared to pre-industrial levels. Europe's climate is getting warmer due to anthropogenic activity. According to international climate experts ...
* Climate change in the Middle East and North Africa
Climate change in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) refers to changes in the climate of the MENA region and the subsequent response, adaption and mitigation strategies of countries in the region. In 2018, the MENA region emitted 3.2 billion ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wildfires, European and Mediterranean 2022
European and Mediterranean
2022 meteorology
2022 fires in Africa
2022 fires in Asia
2022 fires in Europe
July 2022 events in Africa
July 2022 events in Asia
July 2022 events in Europe
August 2022 events in Europe
2022 fires in the United Kingdom