Megacities: greater risk of megafires?

The beginning of 2025 left its mark, with megafires ravaging much of California. Los Angeles, a world-famous megalopolis, was partly engulfed in flames. This scenario suddenly awakened something in people: could other metropolises, particularly in hot environments, see major fires? With climate change leading to droughts and heatwaves, the risks are constantly increasing, according to experts in California, Canada and the Mediterranean basin.

Athens and the surrounding area have, no pun intended, been very hot in recent years, with major forest fires. Other regions, such as the south of France and Italy, are not immune to disaster if they don't get their act together. In Portugal, a series of deadly blazes has led the country to encourage shepherds to return to certain areas in order to provide low-lying ecosystems at the edge of the woods. In Greece, the authorities are trying to track potential fires using drones, among other means, but many believe that more initiatives are needed.

The best-case scenario would lead to less warming. Nevertheless, other proposals will need to be put in place quickly, since experts say that in France alone, half the forests would be at risk, compared with a third today.

Running time: 6 minutes

Image: jlujuro from Pixabay