Europe counts the cost as wildfire recovery efforts begin

Wildfires have ripped through Europe this summer after successive severe heatwaves, fueled by climate change, intensified ​drought and left vegetation tinder-dry.

Now, as firefighters begin to bring some of the blazes under control, governments face another race: helping the people and businesses left dealing with the damage.

From emergency payments and tax breaks to help with housing, reconstruction and lost income, countries are beginning to put money behind the recovery, although the level of support varies from country to country.

France

On Monday, French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu announced tax breaks for companies affected by the recent wildfires in southern France.

Companies of all sizes, most notably in the tourism sector, have seen their activity affected by the severe wildfires that devastated large swathes of the country, he said.

He also noted that the government has approved a $13.91 million budget to help towns having to relocate people whose homes were destroyed.

Lecornu made the announcements in Merignac, near the village of Le Porge, in southwestern France, where hundreds of homes were destroyed by a megafire last month.

The gigantic wildfire, with an amplitude not seen in decades, devastated some 500 square kilometers, burned a few hundred houses to the ground and prompted the evacuation of as many as 220,000 people in southwestern France last month.

Spain

In Spain, the government has focused on keeping workers and businesses afloat while also helping people whose homes have been damaged or who have been forced to evacuate.

Workers who cannot get to their jobs because of evacuation orders, road closures, caring responsibilities or the need to clean up and recover their homes can access an extraordinary emergency benefit for up to four months, without having to meet the usual minimum contribution requirements.

For businesses, companies forced to suspend or reduce their activity can receive exemptions from social-security contributions for affected workers.

The government has also extended deadlines for businesses and individuals facing financial difficulties or insolvency as a result of the fires.

Areas formally declared disaster zones can receive additional assistance for damaged homes, personal belongings, businesses and infrastructure, alongside tax and social-security relief.

Regional governments have gone further in some areas.

In Castilla y León, evacuated families can receive $579.69, as well as help with temporary accommodation, repairing or rebuilding homes and replacing furniture and appliances. Businesses affected by the fires are also eligible for financial support.

Madrid, meanwhile, has announced a $34.78 million package that includes paying rent for up to 12 months for families who have lost their homes.

The package also provides help with rebuilding and repairing properties, as well as financial guarantees for self-employed people and companies.

Greece

Greece has also put direct financial assistance on the table for people whose homes have been affected, while extending support to workers, businesses and farmers dealing with the fallout.

Households whose primary residences have been damaged are eligible for an emergency living allowance of $695.63, with up to a further $6,956.28 available for household contents and minor repairs.

For those whose homes have suffered more serious damage, the state is also providing support for temporary housing and reconstruction, with the amount determined following assessments of the damage.

Workers whose employers have been forced to suspend operations can receive $619.11 a month for three months, while businesses and households affected by the fires can receive a six-month suspension or restructuring of social-insurance and tax obligations.

The government has also suspended auctions and foreclosures for 12 months, giving those affected more time to recover financially.

For the agricultural sector, Greece's agricultural insurer ELGA has been instructed to compensate farmers and livestock owners whose operations have been affected by the fires.