ISTANBUL 

Climate change-induced heat waves and low rainfall exacerbated this summer's wildfires in Türkiye, Greece, and Cyprus, making them significantly more destructive, according to a new study.

The World Weather Attribution (WWA) found that the fires, which claimed 20 lives, forced 80,000 people to evacuate, and scorched over 1 million hectares, were 22% more severe in 2025, making it Europe's worst wildfire season on record.

During June and July, hundreds of fires were fueled by scorching temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), a prolonged drought, and strong winds.

One of the researchers described their findings as "concerning," stating that the study revealed "an extremely strong climate change signal towards hotter and drier conditions."

"Today, with 1.3°C of warming, we are seeing new extremes in wildfire behavior that have pushed firefighters to their limit.

“But we are heading for up to 3°C this century unless countries more rapidly transition away from fossil fuels," Theodore Keeping of Imperial College said.