Climate Crisis Evacuations in Europe Exceed 250,000

Wildfires in France and Spain have destroyed forested areas twice the size of Lake Constance, leading to the evacuation of over a quarter of a million people. The fires have now reached Portugal as another heatwave approaches. The article argues that political and societal responses remain inadequate, with disaster reports giving way to service announcements about refunds for ruined vacations. It criticizes elite inaction, specifically mentioning German politician Friedrich Merz's continued support for fossil fuels despite the escalating climate catastrophe. The piece references a US writer who claims to know why elites act against better knowledge. The author reflects on the disconnect between the scale of the crisis and public indifference, exemplified by a woman at a supermarket checkout in the July heat.