Nearly 700,000 hectares burned in EU forest fires in 2026

Forest fires burned nearly 700,000 hectares in the EU in 2026

Speaking at the European Parliament plenary session in Strasbourg, Lahbib announced that nearly 700,000 hectares had burned in Europe so far in 2026. Lahbib said that fire-affected areas had exceeded national averages in 16 member states and that annual climate-related agricultural losses in the EU amounted to approximately €28.3 billion.

Scraper SystemSeptember 15, 2026, 12:47 PM

Forest fires burned nearly 700,000 hectares in the EU in 2026

The impact of forest fires in Europe was discussed during a session of the European Parliament plenary in Strasbourg. Lahbib said that the summer of 2026 had once again been difficult for Europe, adding that rising temperatures and drought had increased the risk of fires amid the effects of climate change.

Lahbib announced that nearly 700,000 hectares had burned in Europe since the beginning of the year and noted that fire-affected areas had exceeded national averages in 16 member states. Lahbib said the fires had caused serious damage not only to citizens' health and well-being but also to businesses and agriculture.

Lahbib said that annual climate-related agricultural losses in the European Union were estimated at approximately €28.3 billion. Lahbib added that agriculture was one of the sectors facing the greatest pressure from the effects of climate change.

Commission focuses on prevention and preparedness

Lahbib said that the European Commission was working to prepare for such scenarios and stated that, under current climate conditions, prevention and preparedness were the most effective approaches to extreme weather events.

Lahbib said that intervention should remain the last line of defense and announced that the Commission would soon present an integrated framework on climate resilience. Lahbib stressed that all policy areas and actors should act in coordination and cooperation within the framework of European solidarity.

European Council calls for greater resilience

Thomas Byrne, Ireland's Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence, which holds the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU, also said in a speech on behalf of the Council of the EU that fires and floods had caused major disasters last summer.

Byrne said that temperature records had been broken in many parts of Europe during the summer of 2026. Byrne said that the recurrence of heatwaves and floods had had severe consequences, noting that floods had followed prolonged droughts, people had lost their lives, homes and natural areas had been destroyed, and the economy had suffered serious damage.

Byrne said that lessons should be learned from these events and called for greater efforts to reduce global warming and stronger preparedness for emergencies. Byrne said that the Commission's recommendations were awaited so that the European Union could strengthen its resilience to the changes it faced.

Forest fires burned nearly 700,000 hectares in the EU in 2026