World
EUROPE’S ABANDONED FARMLAND IS TURNING INTO WILDFIRE FUEL AS EMPTYING VILLAGES LEAVE FORESTS TO GROW UNMANAGED
Europe’s abandoned farmland is becoming an increasingly important part of its wildfire crisis as rural depopulation allows forests and shrublands to expand across land once divided by fields, grazing areas and regularly cleared vegetation. During Spain’s massive 2026 central wildfire, around 63,000 hectares burned before the final hotspots were extinguished on October 3. Forest cover inside the affected area had increased by more than 54% between 1990 and 2018, creating more continuous vegetation capable of carrying flames across large distances. Spain recorded more than 300,000 hectares burned during 2026 and at least 21 wildfire-related deaths.
BigV•1h ago•1 min read