Are European governments doing enough to prevent wildfires?
Massive wildfires are raging in France and Spain, with around 250,000 people forced to evacuate their homes on the French Atlantic coast in the area around Bordeaux. The fires are spreading towards the city and have yet to be brought under control. In Spain, firefighters are battling several major blazes in the Madrid and Valencia regions. In total, around 75,000 people have been evacuated so far.
Climate change is destroying our environment
We are already seeing the consequences of climate change and they affect us all, warns La Libre Belgique:
“Until recently, the term 'climate refugees' invoked distant peoples displaced from their homes by rising sea levels, droughts or desertification. But now in Europe, our environment can become also uninhabitable within the space of a few hours. We, too, are potential climate refugees. ... Water, fire and heat are the three faces of the same vulnerability. It has long been predicted that these extreme weather conditions would become more frequent and more intense – now they are the new reality. Climate change is no longer just a curve in a diagram or a scenario for 2050. It can be measured in lost lives and devastated landscapes. ”
Invest in fire protection instead of weapons
Europe must change its priorities, demands La Tribune de Genève:
“You always reap what you sow. By prioritising military spending over civilian protection, by allowing the fleet of fire-fighting aircraft to fall into disrepair and refusing to heed the warnings about climate change, the authorities have given the flames free rein. The fires are becoming more frequent, faster and more violent. As long as there is still something to burn, they will continue to devour our countryside. And as long as public budgets continue to be geared more towards war than protecting the land, nothing will change. It is high time we said openly: the greatest emergency we face is not military – it is climatic, humanitarian and territorial. Looking the other way is no longer an option.”
Mutual accusations won't kill the flames
La Vanguardia is disappointed by the politicians' response:
“The responsibility is shared. The most obvious responsibility lies with the arsonists. ... But there are others too. Part of the blame lies with land owners who fail to maintain their forests properly. ... But the authorities are also to blame, particularly for so drastically cutting public investment that we are left defenceless against the all-consuming flames. And it is all the more annoying when rival politicians hurl accusations at one another. ... That certainly won't put out fires.”
Action still needed after conditions ease
Climate protection measures must not be sidelined once the fires have subsided, warns The Irish Independent:
“The wildfires on the continent are only the most intense illustration of the deeper plight of a warming world. Far more people will die in decades to come as a result of extreme heat than from the flames themselves. ... The hottest June on record just passed. It led to a reported 10,000 excess deaths across Europe. …The good news is that the heatwave looks set to ease over the coming days. Welcome bursts of rain are forecast in some areas. The concern is that the easing of conditions will become another pretext to quietly set aside what needs to be done until the next time.”