“Wildfires in Britain and Europe this year are among the worst in decades, yet direct deaths are at some of the lowest levels, according to a Telegraph analysis.

As of early August, 505,683 hectares of land have burned across Europe, forcing the evacuation of more than 360,000 people as uncontrollable flames reach major cities, towns, and villages.

The problem is global – in the US, Nevada declared a state of emergency over the weekend after a wildfire caused more than 42,000 people to evacuate their homes.

But what sets 2026 apart isn’t just the vast areas of land burned, but how few deaths have been caused by the fires.

This summer, just 14 people are reported to have died in European wildfires, the vast majority in a single blaze in Almería, southern Spain…

The decline reflects a decade of investment and problem-solving, say experts.

Early-warning systems, evacuation planning, and firefighting capacity have all been built up in Europe and around the world in response to the growing risk. In short, we are leading and adapting.”

From Telegraph.