Climate change: Europe's forests under fire - the situation is that dramatic!

Climate change: Europe's forests under fire - the situation is that dramatic!

Forest fires, storms and bark beetles pose a growing threat to Europe's forests. These problems have not only serious ecological but also significant economic consequences. Researchers of the Technical University of Munich have analyzed the economic impact of climate change on European forests and concluded that the economic losses could be alarmingly high.

The study, conducted under the leadership of Rupert Seidl and Thomas Knoke, highlights that there are clear regional differences in the effects of climate change. While Northern Europe could potentially benefit from the changes, Central and Southern Europe face the challenge of urgent need to adapt. Regular disturbances in the forests are increasingly causing damage amounting to millions. In many regions, the price of wood is falling drastically because large quantities of damaged wood are flooding the market or the wood can no longer be sold due to its condition.

Increase in forest fires in southern Europe

The situation in southern Europe has worsened dramatically in recent weeks. Numerous forest fires, triggered by a drier and warmer summer favored by climate change, have hit regions hard. The main cause of the fires is often human activity, such as arson. In Spain, over 40 people have been arrested since June, while in Greece 300 people are already facing this accusation daily news reported.

The extreme weather conditions cannot be ignored. In July 2025, a record temperature of 50.5 degrees Celsius was recorded in southeastern Turkey. In Spain, too, the number of heat waves has doubled since 2000, significantly increasing the likelihood of fires. Monocultures such as eucalyptus plantations are particularly vulnerable. In Portugal, a fire in eucalyptus monocultures led to the death of 119 people in 2017.

Ecological and economic consequences of the fires

As of August 19, 2025, over one million hectares of land in the EU had already been destroyed by forest fires, representing the largest area burned since statistics began. In 22 of the 27 EU member states alone, 35 million tons of CO2 were emitted. The United Nations Environment Program warns that such large fires will increase by 14% by 2030 and by 50% by 2099.

The EU Commission emphasizes that Europe must prepare for more frequent and more intense forest fires. Researchers such as Thomas Hickler emphasize that the weather-related fire risk in Europe has increased in recent decades and do not rule out that firefighters could reach their limits. However, innovative technologies, such as the use of artificial intelligence to detect fires early, could be helpful. This technology is already being used for fire monitoring in Brandenburg.

In summary, research at the Technical University of Munich has shown that climate change has serious impacts on the security and future of European forests. The loss of timber resources could not only threaten economic stability, but also significantly impact ecological systems that rely on healthy forests. Given the intense wildfire season of 2023 and the real threat of future disasters, it remains crucial that Europe prepares for such events and takes effective action.