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Euronews
6 days ago
- Climate
- Euronews
2025 wildfire emissions hit record highs across Europe, data reveals
Wildfires across Europe have surged to record levels this summer, with intense blazes fuelled by soaring temperatures and dry conditions. A total of 292,855 hectares of land have burned in the EU, according to the latest update from the European Forest Fires Information System (EFFIS) on 29 July. The total area burnt during the same period last year was 139,940 hectares, and the total so far this year is higher than the average recorded over the last 19 years. EFFIS has detected a total of 1,339 fires larger than 30 hectares since the beginning of the year. The Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) says some countries have already seen the highest wildfire emissions in its 23 year data set. High temperatures fuel fires in the Mediterranean Basin High temperatures around the Mediterranean Basin during the summer significantly increased the likelihood of wildfires in the region, according to CAMS. Modelling has highlighted that wildfires around the Mediterranean this summer 'have been the result of an abundance of fuel and severe weather conditions, with much drier conditions driving the intensity of the fires,' according to Joe McNorton, a fire forecasting scientist at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). In the eastern Mediterranean, Greece and Turkey experienced intense blazes with persistent high temperatures contributing to the ongoing situation. The total emissions from these fires are estimated to be among the highest in the 23 years since this data started to be recorded. Greece has seen the highest total estimated fire emissions since 2007, and Turkey has the highest year-to-date estimated emissions, reflecting the intensity of fires there. Fires have been particularly intense in Cyprus, where the country reached its highest annual cumulative wildfire emissions in just two days. CAMS says this is mainly due to the wildfires that took place between 22 and 23 July, which have been described as the worst on the island in more than half a century. Where else have wildfires been burning in Europe? July also saw increased wildfire activity in the wider Balkan region. Emissions from blazes in Montenegro and North Macedonia were the third highest in the CAMS record. Estimated emissions in Serbia and Albania were the second highest, just behind 2007. In southwestern Europe, large wildfires developed in southern France, Catalonia and Portugal at the start of July. Then, in the last days of the month, parts of Spain and northern Portugal have also been experiencing significant renewed wildfire activity. From the beginning of the year until 15 July, a total of 3,370 rural fires have burned 10,768 hectares of land in Portugal, according to data released on Wednesday by the National Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests (ICNF). This figure is three times higher than that recorded in the same period in 2024, when 3,462 hectares burned. UK records its highest annual wildfire emissions Further north in the UK, estimated wildfire emissions for 2025 are already the highest on record at 0.35 megatonnes of carbon. By 20 June, the UK's National Fire Chiefs Council said it had already responded to 564 wildfires since 1 January 2025 - a 717 per cent increase from the same period in 2024. It was also double the number of incidents as during the same period in 2022, which went on to be a record year. CAMS says the increase in emissions has primarily been driven by the large wildfires which impacted northern Scotland in the final days of June and at the beginning of July. These fires increased the year-to-date estimated emissions for the UK to their highest level in the 23 years of CAMS data.
RTÉ News
04-07-2025
- Health
- RTÉ News
More people presenting with hay fever due to high pollen levels
A Clare-based GP has said "there's been a big change" in people attending the medical practice for hay fever. Her remarks come after the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service reported that pollen levels were so extreme in parts of Europe during Spring, that even people not known to suffer allergies felt the effects of hay fever. Dr Yvonne Williams said patients, who have never had hay fever before, are attending the practice, saying "the normal medicines, the antihistamines, they get over the counter just aren't working for them this year". Speaking on RTÉ's Today with Claire Byrne, she added that others are wondering "why their head cold hasn't gotten better" or why it is "going on much longer than a cold and wondering what's wrong with them, they've never had hay fever before". She said those affected by allergies can try avoidance measures such as washing pollen from hair at night and keeping doors and windows closed. She said hay fever sufferers can also try "simple things" like placing Vaseline around the nose or wearing wrap around sunglasses to keep pollen out the eyes. Medicines are also available, Dr Williams said, including antihistamines, eye drops and nose sprays. But she warned some antihistamines can "make people sleepy and you have to be careful if you're driving with those". "Your pharmacy will be a great point of contact and then your GP, if you can't control it with over-the-counter medication because it can affect your sleep, it can make you tired - that has implications," she said. "For the asthmatics, that drip of hay fever and the constant sniffle - can trigger off quite bad flares of asthma and really make your asthma go out of control," she added. Scientists say that climate change is altering the production and distribution of pollen and spores, as more and more people have reported developing allergy symptoms. As winter frost thaws earlier and spring weather gets warmer, plants and trees flower earlier, extending the pollen season and misery for allergy sufferers. Around a quarter of adults in Europe suffer from airborne allergies, including severe asthma, while the proportion among children is 30 to 40%. That figure is expected to rise to half of Europeans by 2050, according to the World Health Organization. Assistant Professor at Dublin City University in the School of Chemical Sciences said "basically anyone" can have the symptoms of hay fever. "If the pollen levels get high enough, people who never have suffer from them will actually start exhibiting symptoms," Dr David O'Connor said. Dr O'Connor said pollen season starts in January and runs until September, but he said "we've noticed in our work, it's like getting longer - the start date has been pushed into December and the end date is actually heading towards October". "Also, we see increasing concentrations of the pollen as well and actually the amount of allergen in the pollen is also increasing," he added. Speaking on the same programme, he noted a pollen forecast is available for people to access on the Met Éireann website, allowing people to take mitigating measures ahead of high pollen levels. "Just kind of like your weather forecast, if you know it's gonna be raining tomorrow, you might bring a coat or an umbrella with you, if you know it's gonna be a high pollen concentration day tomorrow, you can take your antihistamine and wear your mask," he said. Dr O'Connor warned hay fever can be dangerous for those with asthma, explaining for such individuals "if they breathe in high concentrations of pollen it can actually give them an asthma attack. "That's where it goes from a well-being problem to actually a life or death problem," he added.
The Sun
03-07-2025
- Climate
- The Sun
Spring pollen hit ‘extreme' levels in Europe: EU monitor
PARIS: Pollen levels were so extreme in parts of Europe during spring that even people not known to suffer allergies felt the effects of hay fever, new data showed on Thursday. The Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) observed a seasonal rise in grass and olive pollen release and transport across southern Europe and 'extreme levels' of birch pollen in northeastern regions. Finland in particular experienced 'extreme daily means of birch pollen' in May 'that led to symptoms even among individuals without known allergies', the EU agency said in its latest air quality update. Scientists say that climate change is altering the production and distribution of pollen and spores, as more and more people have reported developing allergy symptoms. As winter frost thaws earlier and spring weather gets warmer, plants and trees flower earlier, extending the pollen season and misery for allergy sufferers. Around a quarter of adults in Europe suffer from airborne allergies, including severe asthma, while the proportion among children is 30 to 40 percent. That figure is expected to rise to half of Europeans by 2050, according to the World Health Organization. CAMS director Laurence Rouil said bouts of extremely high pollen levels were not unusual in spring but noted the particular 'severity and extent' of this year's episode. Air pollution can also increase people's sensitivity to allergens, while invasive species are spreading into new regions and causing fresh waves of allergies. Between March and May, air quality across Europe was also affected by wildfires. April fire emissions in the UK were the second highest since 2003, while the Netherlands recorded unprecedented wildfire emissions levels in this period of the year, CAMS said. Further afield, large wildfires in eastern Russia sent 'significant' smoke into China and Japan while plumes from major blazes in Canada were observed over Europe in late May, it added. – AFP
Irish Post
06-06-2025
- Climate
- Irish Post
Canadian wildfire smoke seen in Ireland and across Northern Europe
SMOKE from wildfires burning in central Canada has drifted thousands of miles across the Atlantic, arriving in Ireland and other parts of northwestern Europe, according to European climate researchers. The Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS), an environmental agency under the European Union's Earth observation programme, has been tracking the movement of wildfire smoke since the start of May. Using satellite data, CAMS confirmed that a large plume originating from the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Ontario reached Ireland on Sunday, June 1. Additional plumes are expected to spread further into Europe later this week. 'Wildfires are a frequent occurrence in boreal forests from spring through summer,' said Mark Parrington, a senior scientist at CAMS. 'But the intensity of fires we've seen in Canada this year, particularly in central regions, is extraordinary.' CAMS analysis shows that while the smoke has visibly affected the sky, producing hazy skies and vibrant sunsets, the smoke is travelling at high altitudes, meaning they won't have a major effect on air quality in Europe. However, elsewhere the fires have already caused a lot of damage. More than 25,000 people in Canada have been forced to evacuate, prompting officials in both Saskatchewan and Manitoba to declare month-long states of emergency. U.S. states near the Canadian border have also experienced low air quality as the smoke drifts south. The fires are part of what experts warn could become an intense wildfire season in Canada, exacerbated by ongoing drought, that's also affecting northern Europe. Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service has facilities across all of Europe (Photo by CAMS) Similar wildfires are happening across Russia's Far Eastern Federal District, in the regions of Buryatia and Zabaykalsky Krai near the borders with China and Mongolia. According to CAMS, carbon emissions from fires in that area have reached their highest levels for this time of year since 2018. Smoke from those Russian blazes has been detected as far away as northeastern China, northern Japan and even the Arctic. While current forecasts suggest only minor health risks from the smoke in Europe, Parrington claimed that the increasing reach of these wildfires add to growing concerns about the long-term effects of climate change and global air quality. Going into further detail Parrington said, "The fact that we can notice the impacts of the smoke in European skies is a reflection of the devastation of wildfires which have been burning in Canada, indicating the increased number of fires, intensity, and duration. A lot of smoke has to be generated in order for it to travel so far and be noticeable and shows how people on either side of the Atlantic are connected via the atmosphere." As we come up to the drier summer months, monitoring agencies like CAMS will continue to track these plumes across Ireland and northern Europe. See More: CAMS, Canada, Mark Parrington, Wilfire
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Canadian wildfire smoke reaches Europe after near 7,000-km journey
While Canadian fire crews across several provinces continue to battle blazes that have prompted states of emergency and forced people from their homes, smoke from the wildfires have been travelling a fair distance over the past few weeks, especially in recent days. Over the past few days, smoke has travelled nearly 7,000 kilometres––more than half of the globe in distance. And that won't be the end of it, either, as additional smoke is expected to reach Europe in the coming days as strong winds force the plume farther east into the continent. DON'T MISS: According to the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS), the first high-altitude smoke plume entered the Mediterranean region on May 18-19, with reports of it reaching Greece and the eastern Mediterranean. Following that, a much larger quantity of wildfire smoke plume travelled across the Atlantic during the last week of May, hitting northwestern parts of Europe on Sunday, June 1. This #TimelapseTuesday, we're taking a look at this imagery from @NOAA's #GOESEast 🛰️ as thick #smoke from Canadian #wildfires has been drifting across the eastern U.S. from May 31 to June 2, 2025. #AirQuality Alerts cover much of the Upper Midwest today. Latest:… — NOAA Satellites (@NOAASatellites) June 3, 2025 The issue of wildfire smoke will remain a problem for Eastern Canada, as well, with recent, explosive fire behaviour in Saskatchewan and Manitoba and strong winds expected to push more of it eastward, eventually hitting Europe in the next week or so. Major wildfires continue throughout portions of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and northern British Columbia. Provincial states of emergency have been issued for Manitoba and Saskatchewan, where multiple communities remain under evacuation orders. Mark Parrington, senior scientist with CAMS, said wildfires are a frequent occurrence in boreal forests from spring and through the summer months. June 1-3, 2025 satellite imagery. (European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT)) Up to the start of June, CAMS' data showed that parts of Canada have experienced a "very intense few weeks" in terms of wildfire emissions. "This data, and the fact that we are able to observe the smoke in Europe, is a reflection of the scale of the fires and impacts they have been having in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. In CAMS, we monitor events such as these in order to understand how they affect the atmosphere and air quality regionally and globally," said Parrington, in a news release. The good news is that the air quality in Europe isn't expected to be affected, unlike parts of Canada where alerts are in place to advise of health risks, since it will remain well above the surface. But folks can expect hazy skies alongside red sunrises and sunsets. Click here to view the video With files from Rachel Modestino, a meteorologist at The Weather Network. Header image courtesy of NOAA
