London: As wildfires spread north, UN agencies are racing to help Europe adapt to the increasing threat posed by these blazes, which are now affecting historically cooler and wetter countries. The spread, speed, and intensity of wildfires are significantly influenced by warmer, drier conditions associated with climate change and altered land use patterns. According to United Nations, more than 600,000 hectares of land have burned within European Union countries in the first eight months of 2026. Although this figure is below the record levels of 2025, it still far exceeds the 20-year average of 280,000 hectares, underscoring the urgent need for preparedness. UN agencies highlight that the risks are growing, with extremely dry conditions increasing the wildfire threat in Western and Central Europe, including the UK and southern Scandinavia. In Scotland, a wildfire took hold in the Cairngorms mountains in mid-July, exacerbated by exceptionally dry conditions. The blaze penetrated the dry peat layer, causing persistent hotspots and flare-ups. More than 500 firefighters, supported by aerial units, battled the fire, which was pushed toward the village of Nethy Bridge by high winds. Police Scotland declared a major incident nine days after the outbreak, prompting the evacuation of many residents, including James MacEwan, who expressed concerns over the prolonged dry spell amid the growing blaze. Will Hayes, a researcher with the UK's Leverhulme Centre for Wildfires, Environment and Society, warns that the risk is extending beyond the Mediterranean, with concerns emerging in the Atlantic uplands of Ireland and Scotland, as well as other parts of Northern and Central Europe. He emphasized that traditionally wetter, cooler regions are experiencing more frequent conditions where vegetation becomes dry enough to burn, urging the public to avoid ignition sources like campfires and barbecues during high-risk weather. Hayes stressed the importance of preparedness at a national level, pointing out that wildfire prevention involves landscape management and should be viewed as a land-use, climate-adaptation, and public-health issue. The World Health Organization (WHO) has developed the Strategic Toolkit for Assessing Risks (STAR) methodology, enabling public health authorities to conduct strategic assessments of public health risks, including heat and wildfires. Countries such as Cyprus and Ireland have recently completed their first-ever assessment workshops using the STAR methodology. These workshops are part of WHO's broader effort to conduct national strategic risk assessments, which include understanding climate-driven risks and prioritizing preparedness actions. Tanja Schmidt, WHO Europe's programme manager on preparedness, said that extreme heat and wildfires are evolving into significant public health threats, requiring strategic investments in emergency preparedness and readiness.