According to a Bloomberg report titled "Desperate Europeans Return to Using World's Oldest Fuel for Heat," published on local time on 8 August, 70 percent of the energy is used to heat.

Europe comes from natural gas and electricity, and firewood has become a sought-after commodity as energy supplies dwindle.

Bloomberg also said that in Germany, people are even asking about burning horse manure and other cold fuels to heat their homes.

Bloomberg began its report with the example of Peter Engelke, a German citizen. Engelke, whose warehouse is located not far from Berlin-Tempelhof airport, installed a new security door for his warehouse because he was worried that desperate people would steal the contents of his warehouse, according to the report.

According to Bloomberg, the "precious assets" at risk in Engelke's warehouse are none other than wooden fuel, and his action reflects growing anxiety across Europe.

The report mentions that the continent is preparing for energy shortages and even possible blackouts this winter.

At a meeting of European political community leaders on the 7th, EU leaders did not agree on a gas price cap because they fear any such restrictive measures could threaten the region's energy supply.

In addition to Germany, the report cites that in France, the price of wood pellet fuel has almost doubled. It reached 600 euros per ton.

And there are signs of a panic rush by some people to buy the world's oldest fuel. And Hungary has even banned the export of pellet fuel, while Romania has capped the price of firewood for six months.

In addition to concerns about energy shortages, the energy crisis has also led to a spike in the cost of living, Bloomberg said.

In September, inflation in the eurozone reached double digits for the first time on an annualized basis. Across Europe, families in distress are increasingly faced with choosing between heating and other necessities.

On the other hand, the report writes, many Europeans are most concerned about keeping warm in the coming months, a concern that is becoming more pressing as the winter cold snap approaches, a sentiment that could lead to health and environmental problems.

Roger Sedin, head of the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency's air quality department, was quoted as saying, "We are worried that people will burn what they can get their hands on, and if someone doesn't know how to burn wood properly, this can lead to very high pollution levels."

Sedin added that particulate matter can eventually get deep into the lungs and cause heart attacks, strokes, and asthma, a risk that is particularly acute in urban areas.

In addition, Bloomberg says the lack of experience in this area is also evident in Germany. The country's Chimney Sweepers Association is dealing with a flood of requests to hook up old and new furnaces (with chimneys), and customers are asking about burning horse manure and other cold fuels.

In Berlin, the crisis is a disturbing reminder of what happened many years ago, the report writes. At that time, people cut down nearly all the trees in Berlin's Tiergarten Park to heat their homes due to fuel shortages.

While Berliners would not resort to such extreme measures now, there is widespread concern among the population about keeping warm, Bloomberg said. Peter Engelke said, "We are very worried about preparing for the coming winter."