Climate change has stacked the decks in favor of larger and more intense wildfires over the past few decades. Increasing heat, changing rain and snow patterns, changes in plant communities and other climate-related changes are the reasons for such intense wildfires. Forest fires require the right climatic conditions, flammable fuel and a spark. Europe has been unusually dry, and hot springs have left forest soils dry. This is the reason why the region has been hit by the initial wave of wildfires.