Prince William has warned the 'devastating' wildfires sweeping across Europe are a "stark reminder of the challenges posed by an increasingly extreme climate." In a personal message posted on social media, the Prince of Wales expressed gratitude to firefighters, emergency services and volunteers working in "extraordinarily difficult conditions." The message was signed 'W', denoting it was a personal statement from the heir to the throne.
Wildfires across Europe and UK
Fires have been burning out of control near Bordeaux, France, around Madrid, Spain, where people were evacuated, and in the Valencia region. The UK government offered military support to dampen fires in the Cairngorms of Scotland. Met Office assessments show wildfires could become exceptionally severe by the next day in parts of London, the South East and eastern England due to hot, dry conditions.
Climate context
Europe is the world's fastest warming continent, facing rising risks of extreme weather like heat and drought, driven by human-caused climate change from burning fossil fuels. Heat health alerts have been upgraded to amber in some areas of England as the fourth heatwave of the year looms.
Earthshot Prize update
The prince's statement comes amid his Earthshot Prize project, now halfway through its 10-year run. The awards highlight and scale up innovative solutions to environmental crises, awarding £5 million in prize money annually. William said the prize has supported 75 finalists who, over five years, protected and restored 1.4 million square kilometres of land, ocean and coastline, saved 21 million tonnes of water, and removed, upcycled or avoided almost half a million tonnes of waste.
Speaking at London Climate Action Week in June, William said he felt "more optimistic than ever" because the proof of progress is now strong. He added: "Solutions are working. Capital is moving. Policy is shifting. Partnerships are forming." The 2026 Earthshot awards will be held in Mumbai, India, in November.
William's call to action
Highlighting the midpoint of the decade-long project, William said: "One day people will look back at this decade and ask: when the evidence was clear, what did we do with it? ... History will ask what we did with it."
