Historic wildfires in France and Spain are prompting comparisons to the Second World War. The Associated Press has reported that the evacuation efforts are among the largest in Europe since World War II. French President Emmanuel Macron has described the wildfires as his country’s “most difficult situation since the second world war”.
Wildfires are also affecting other parts of Europe, and countries including Australia, the US, Brazil, Greece, Portugal, Chile, Russia, Turkey, and Indonesia have experienced similar events. In Canada, nearly a thousand wildfires are currently burning.
Many leaders in Europe, including President Macron and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, have linked these fires to the climate emergency. However, the response to date has been described as defensive, focusing on putting out fires rather than preventing them.