Wildfires are once again sweeping across Europe, with firefighters battling blazes from UK and Spain to France, Germany and Greece. As of July 29, European Commission figures show there have already been 1,407 fires in 2026 – more than double the long-term average.

The World Health Organization estimates that the total number of wildfires in Europe has risen by an extraordinary 57% in the last four years.

So what exactly has caused this huge rise? And does Europe need to change its entire approach to land use to prevent wildfires from continuing to burn out of control?

Joining Juliet Mann on this edition of The Agenda are Stefan Doerr, Professor of Wildland Fire Science at Swansea University; Bob Ward from the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment; and former Spanish MP Gustavo de Arístegui.

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