False claim: wildfires in France and Spain are not deliberately set

A claim has been spreading online suggesting that wildfires in France and Spain are being started deliberately, supposedly with the aim of destroying agricultural harvests and thereby driving up food prices. The claim has been presented as an explanation for the large wildfires that have recently affected both countries.

Fact-check finds otherwise

Fact-checkers have determined that this claim is false. The actual cause of the wildfires is the extremely high air temperatures recorded recently across several European regions, including France and Spain. Intense heat creates the conditions under which wildfires ignite and spread rapidly, rather than any organized or intentional action being responsible.

The claim about deliberately caused fires fits into a broader pattern seen during crises or emergencies, when unverified or intentionally misleading information tends to spread online. Such claims often create the impression of a hidden intent or plan behind visible events, even though the real explanation is usually far simpler — in this case, related to weather conditions.

The fact-check concludes there is no basis for believing that wildfires in Europe are being deliberately caused to affect food harvests or prices. Instead, the spread of the fires is explained by natural factors — drought and high temperatures currently affecting several European countries.