Forest fires and extreme heat in several European countries have already caused economic damage of at least €3.1 billion. This figure has already exceeded the average annual damage from forest fires for the entire European Union. Meanwhile, in Kazakhstan, the fire hazard season continues, during which hundreds of forest fires have been officially registered.
WHY DAMAGE IN EUROPE CONTINUES TO RISE
According to the Financial Times, forest fires and extreme heat in France, Spain, Portugal, Greece and Romania have already caused damage of at least €3.1 billion. By comparison, the European Commission estimates the average annual damage from forest fires for the entire European Union at €2.5 billion.
The calculations are based on the European Commission's methodology and take into account the cost of restoring burnt forests, including planting new trees and maintaining them. The publication notes that the final figure will be higher, as assessments of damage to destroyed property, lost crops and reduced tourism revenue are still ongoing.
Since the start of the season, fire has destroyed nearly 500,000 hectares of land in five European countries.
WHEN THE FIRE HAZARD SEASON BEGAN IN KAZAKHSTAN
While European countries are counting their multi-billion-euro losses, Kazakhstan has also seen persistently high levels of natural fire activity since the start of the fire hazard season.
According to the Ministry of Ecology, the fire hazard season in Kazakhstan officially began in May 2026. On 30 April, the Forestry and Wildlife Committee announced that environmental protection and forestry institutions had been placed on heightened alert. More than 7,600 state forest protection staff were deployed for the timely detection and extinguishing of fires.
HOW MANY FOREST FIRES HAVE BEEN REGISTERED SINCE THE START OF SUMMER
According to calculations by the FBRK editorial team, based on daily official reports from the Ministry of Ecology, at least 260 forest fires were registered between 15 June and 3 August. According to the ministry's reports, most of the fires were detected, contained and extinguished in a timely manner. In many cases, lightning strikes were cited as the cause of the fires.
WHEN DID THE LARGEST FIRE OCCUR
The largest fire of the current season was the blaze that broke out on 16 July on the territory of the Semey Ormany state forest nature reserve. At the peak of the operation, 769 people, 191 units of equipment and 8 helicopters were involved in extinguishing the fire. Aircraft carried out 319 water drops, delivering 709 tonnes of water to the source of the blaze. The fire was contained on 18 July, with full extinguishment officially reported on 28 July.
Incidentally, the FBRK editorial team previously identified a discrepancy in the assessment of the fire's area. It turned out to be significantly larger than the preliminary estimate. According to data from the NASA FIRMS fire monitoring system, the blaze covered approximately 1,676 hectares, whereas 370 hectares had previously been reported.
WHEN WAS THE BUSIEST DAY OF THE SEASON
The highest number of forest fires in a single day was registered on 20 July, when 55 fires were recorded in the country's state forest fund — the highest figure for the entire period covered by the published operational reports. These included:
- 41 fires — in the Semey Ormany state forest nature reserve;
- 9 fires — in the Yertis Ormany state forest nature reserve;
- 3 fires — in the East Kazakhstan Region;
- one fire each — in the Nauryzym State Nature Reserve and the Bayanaul State National Nature Park.
The main cause of most of the fires was lightning strikes.
