Europe’s Wetlands Are Burning—And Worse Is Coming

This summer’s wildfires across Europe have reached a terrifying new extreme: even wetlands are catching fire. Scientists warn that the situation will only get worse in the coming years. The solution, they say, lies not in fighting flames after they start, but in preventing fires before they ignite—and in slowing climate change itself. For decades, European firefighting efforts focused on quick response. But with hotter, drier conditions turning once-damp landscapes into fuel, that approach is no longer enough. Wetlands, which traditionally acted as natural firebreaks, are now burning because of prolonged drought and rising temperatures. Experts argue that the only way to protect the continent is to invest in proactive fire prevention. That means clearing dry vegetation, creating controlled burns, and restoring natural water levels in damaged wetlands. At the same time, cutting greenhouse gas emissions remains critical, as climate change is the root cause that makes these fires more frequent and more intense. The message from scientists is clear: Europe cannot simply out-fire the future. It must change how it manages land—and how it treats the climate. Otherwise, the flames of this summer will be just a preview of what is to come.