‘The fire has such power’: why the wildfires gripping France and Spain are off the charts

By David Bowman, Professor of Pyrogeography and Fire Science, University of Tasmania
Calum Cunningham, Research Fellow in Pyrogeography, University of Tasmania
Grant Williamson, Research Fellow in Environmental Science, University of Tasmania

Hundreds of thousands of people have fled their homes in southwestern France and Spain as extreme wildfires intensify. At least three people have died, including two firefighters. Many houses have been lost.

While this region is no stranger to fire, our analysis shows these wildfires are off the charts. A very hot summer primed many areas for fire. When they ignited, they spread ferociously. The area of land burned in France is already

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