Yet another summer heat wave has been scorching broad swaths of Europe, resulting in deadly wildfires across the continent, the Guardian reported. The blazes have forced the evacuation of thousands of people in multiple countries.

"Thanks to climate change, we now live in a significantly warmer world," Akshay Deoras of the University of Reading's meteorology department told Agence France-Press, per the Guardian.

Despite this, "many still underestimate the danger," Deoras said.  

What's happening?

Countries across Europe have experienced a dangerous combination of heat and drought, creating what scientists have called a "Molotov cocktail" of conditions perfect for wildfires, according to the Irish Examiner.

In Spain, as temperatures soared above 100 degrees Fahrenheit and wind gusts reached 45 miles per hour, officials ordered the evacuation of 3,700 people across 16 municipalities, the Guardian reported. One man died from burns suffered while trying to free horses from a stable amid the blaze.

Officials said fires in Spain had killed 150 sheep and 18 horses, per the Guardian.

Meanwhile, Morocco sent two firefighting planes to Spain's neighbor, Portugal, to help the country battle three large blazes there, per the Irish Examiner.

In Greece, gale-force winds and temperatures reaching as high as 109 degrees Fahrenheit aided the spread of out-of-control fires through the Peloponnese, prompting government officials to seek assistance from the European Union, the Guardian reported. Thousands of residents have been evacuated from the area.

Officials on the tourist-friendly islands of Zakynthos and Kefalonia were doing their best to battle back the blazes with limited resources, while thousands of tourists were evacuated, suitcases in hand.

"Everything that civil protection can offer is here but there are very strong winds and the fires are out of control," said Zakynthos mayor Giorgos Stasinopoulos, according to the Guardian. "We need a lot more air support, it's vital."

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Why are wildfires in Europe important?

Wildfires devastate local communities and cause domino effects that reverberate well beyond the flames' reach for years, if not decades, after the last embers have been extinguished.

Fires take lives, destroy homes and livelihoods, ruin crops, and kill livestock, causing food prices and insurance premiums to have far-reaching implications outside the directly impacted areas.

As evidenced by the aftermath of the massive Los Angeles wildfires, fires leave behind deadly contaminants such as heavy metals, the Los Angeles Times reported in May.

Wildfires also unleash toxic plumes of smoke that can imperil public health far beyond the blaze.

"Smoke can travel hundreds of miles, so you can be impacted even if you're not near an active fire," warned the California Air Resources Board.

"Health problems related to wildfire smoke exposure can be as mild as eye and respiratory tract irritation and as serious as worsening of heart and lung disease, including asthma, and even premature death," the board continued.

What's being done about wildfires?

For decades, experts have warned that pumping huge amounts of heat-trapping pollution into the atmosphere will cause temperatures to rise, increasing the severity of extreme weather events, including heat waves and wildfires.

To reverse this trend, the world must transition away from burning fuels that release planet-heating gases toward cleaner, renewable solutions like solar and wind energy.

To help with this transition, you can take local action, support political candidates who share your priorities, and find ways to use your voice to inspire meaningful change.

If you want to take things a step further, you can reduce planet-heating pollution while saving money on your energy bill by installing solar panels on your home.

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