Experts warn of worsening fire seasons as summer wildfires become more frequent and intense due to global warming.
The Mediterranean region has long been vulnerable to forest fires, but this year’s summer blazes, particularly in Greece, have raised alarms over the devastating impact of climate change. In Varympompi, an affluent suburb near Athens, burnt trees line the hills, with some pines still struggling to show signs of life amidst their charred trunks. The fires, which raged through the area in August, left behind scenes of destruction, with wedding halls reduced to shells and the air thick with dust and ash.
As workers clear the charred remnants of trees, one local expressed hope that the remaining pines would regenerate, though the challenge remains daunting. “We just hope the trees have time to create more seeds before the next fire,” he said, a somber reflection of the ongoing threat that fire poses to Greece’s natural landscape.
Experts and local authorities are increasingly focused on preventing another season of such devastating wildfires. The climate crisis has led to increasingly intense heatwaves and a longer fire season, with the Mediterranean region being particularly affected. In 2021, the wildfire crisis spanned several Mediterranean nations, from Tunisia and Algeria to Spain, Italy, and Greece, burning vast areas of land and claiming at least 86 lives.
Despite the devastation, there is a glimmer of hope. According to data from the European Forest Fire Information Service (Effis), firefighting efforts have increased, contributing to a slight decrease in the number of burnt areas. However, the reality remains that the battle against fires is intensifying as climate change makes these events more frequent and severe.
