Wildfires Burn in UK and Europe as Heatwaves Continue | BBC News

Jul 14, 2026 | Temperature records have been broken across Europe, with extreme heat and dry weather resulting in multiple wildfires across the continent.

And with the heatwave set to continue in the UK, areas in the south of England are facing an "exceptional" risk of wildfires in the coming days.

The Big Story looks into how wildfires actually start, and how best to avoid them.

Thousands May Have Died in UK's Exceptional May and June Heatwaves | BBC News

Jul 13, 2026 | More than 2,700 people may have died from heat-related causes in England and Wales during the exceptionally hot weather in May and June, experts' estimates suggest.

The figure, from a team at Imperial College London, the Met Office and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, is based on what's known about the dangers of extreme heat.

Most deaths will have occurred in the June heatwave, they say - the warmest June on record in England, when temperatures hit 37.7C (99.9F) at Lingwood, Norfolk, smashing the previous high of 35.6C set in 1957.

A rare red health alert was issued for parts of England and Wales at the time, warning even healthy people of the significant risk to life.

Europe Hits Record Temperatures: Is This the New Normal? | DW News

Jun 26, 2026 | Europe has been roasting for days with record-breaking temperatures across the continent. More than 150 million people have been living through temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius. We talked to Armel Castellan, the Extreme Heat Services Technical Advisor at the World Meterological Organization and Theodore Keeping, an extreme weather researcher at Imperial College London. He's also the lead author of a new so-called 'rapid study' by the World Weather Attribution that says the heatwaves Europe is now experiencing are driven by climate change and would not have been possible 50 years ago.

France 'Best Prepared' in Europe for Heatwaves, While UK Views Heat as 'Occasional Inconvenience'

Jun 24, 2026 | Nadia Massih is pleased to welcome Ian Williams, Professor of Applied Environmental Science in the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences at the University of Southampton, UK.

He argues that Europe's current heatwave should not be understood as an exceptional weather event but as evidence of a new climatic reality shaped by anthropogenic warming. While acknowledging that adaptation measures can significantly reduce mortality and social disruption, he maintains that increasingly intense heat extremes are ultimately driven by the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Williams presents France as a notable case study in climate adaptation, citing its post-2003 reforms as among the most comprehensive heat governance frameworks in Europe.

However, he also stresses that even the best-prepared societies face mounting challenges as climate change amplifies the frequency and intensity of extreme heat events.

France Records Hottest Night and Day as Europe Heatwave Spreads | DW News

Jun 24, 2026 | France has recorded both its hottest night and hottest day since records began, with temperatures exceeding 44°C as a severe heatwave grips much of Europe.

Schools have closed, transport is disrupted and health authorities warn of growing risks — especially for vulnerable groups.

Scientists say such extreme heat is becoming more frequent and intense as the climate warms. We explore what’s driving the surge in temperatures - and how hot Europe could get in the future.

'Significantly Hotter than 1976': How Long Will This Heatwave Last?

This meteorologist gives us the low-down. British summers are becoming ever hotter.

Der Sommer ist im Aufbruch!

Summer is about to begin! / L'été est sur le point de commencer !
Blazing June on the way for Europe? Super-hot June? In this video, what is really to be expected this June across Europe. Where temperatures will be above average, and where drought will be a big concern. Plus, the areas that stay cooler than average, and how El Niño will factor into European heatwaves.

À LIRE :

Températures jusqu’à 35°C, dôme de chaleur... Combien de temps va durer ce temps estival ? : La France s’apprête à vivre plusieurs jours de fortes chaleurs, avec un mercure en nette hausse sous l’effet d’un blocage anticyclonique. Les températures grimpent de 10 à 15 degrés en quelques jours. »

ALSO READ:

UK braces for bank holiday heatwave as temperatures set to soar to record-breaking 33C: The 32.8C record for May set in London's Camden Square in 1922 could be surpassed. »

LESEN SIE AUCH:

Langes Pfingstwochenende: Sonne und bis zu 30 Grad in Berlin: Pünktlich zu Pfingsten stellt sich in Berlin sommerliches Wetter ein. Es wird viel Sonnenschein und steigende Temperaturen bis an die 30-Grad-Marke geben. »

How Barcelona Protects Its Citizens from Deadly Heat Waves | Focus on Europe

Jul 27, 2025 | With record temperatures in Spain, Barcelona offers around 400 shelters where people can cool off for free. In June, the thermometer in the Spanish metropolis reached almost 38°C. For residents, the heat is unbearable.

Europe Heats Twice as Fast as Rest of World, Elderly and Housing Face Growing Climate Risks

Jul 13, 2025 | Europe is experiencing climate change at an alarming rate, with temperatures rising twice as fast as the global average. Recent heatwaves have led to wildfires in France and severe drought in Spain and Greece, while the Netherlands has implemented a National Heatwave plan to protect vulnerable populations. Climate scientists attribute this rapid warming to Europe's proximity to the Arctic and improved air quality, which allows more sunlight to reach the continent.

As temperatures soar, concerns are growing about the suitability of existing housing stock and urban planning. Many European homes are designed to retain heat rather than cool off, posing challenges for residents during increasingly frequent heatwaves. Experts are calling for a shift in construction practices to incorporate more green spaces and better ventilation, as well as adaptations to combat rising sea levels in low-lying areas. With Europe warming at an unprecedented pace, questions remain about the continent's readiness to face this new climate reality.

Al Jazeera's Step Vaessen reports from Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Why This Year’s Extreme Weather Conditions Have Scientists In Shock | DW News

Aug 9, 2023 | Hundreds of firefighters worked to put out a wildfire in southern Portugal on Tuesday, with 1,400 people evacuated since the start of the blaze. The fire has destroyed around 6,700 hectares of land. A total of 19 villages, four tourist accommodations and a camping site have been evacuated as a precaution. From north to south, Europe is again battling extreme weather events, with floods in Slovenia, a heat wave in Spain and landslides in Norway.

Rhodes: Thousands Evacuated from Greek Island as Wildfires Spread – BBC News

Jul 23, 2023 | Thousands of people have been evacuated from homes and hotels on the Greek island of Rhodes after wildfires engulfed large parts of the island. Greece's fire service told the BBC it apologises for what it called "a mess" on the island, warning that the situation could worsen due to weather. More than 3,500 people have been evacuated by land and sea to safety.

Related.

Europe Braces for Record Heat as Wildfires Hit Greece | DW News

Jul 18, 2023 | Greece has been especially hard hit by wildfires. The normal summertime dangers are being made worse by a heat wave. Firefighting services are now trying to fight the flames in several different regions while keeping residents and visitors at a safe distance.

Heatwave: Extreme Heat across US and Europe - BBC News

Jul 16, 2023 | Extreme heat and high temperatures are making their way across the US and Europe. Nearly a third of Americans - about 113 million people - are currently under heat advisories - including in Florida, California and up to Washington state. Meanwhile, sweltering temperatures are showing no signs of abating in southern Europe. The Italian health ministry issued a red alert for 16 cities including Rome, Bologna and Florence for the weekend

Summer Heat Waves Killed 61,000 in Europe Last Year, Study Says

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Researchers suggest that strategies to cope with higher temperatures aren’t keeping pace with global warming.

More than 61,000 people died because of last year’s brutal summer heat waves across Europe, according to a study published on Monday in the journal Nature Medicine.

The findings suggest that two decades of efforts in Europe to adapt to a hotter world have failed to keep up with the pace of global warming.

“In an ideal society, nobody should die because of heat,” said Joan Ballester, a research professor at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health and the study’s lead author.

This summer is likely to be even worse: On top of climate change, the Earth has entered a natural El Niño weather pattern during summer for the first time in four years, bringing about conditions that will turn up the heat in many parts of the world. The season is already shattering various global temperature records. » | Delger Erdenesanaa | Monday, July 10, 2023

Europe Heatwave Fuels Wildfires in Portugal, France and Spain - BBC News

Jul 14, 2022 A heatwave is fuelling wildfires in Portugal, France and Spain.

Around 3,500 firefighters in Portugal are battling dozens of blazes, as temperatures break records in various parts of the country.

Heatwaves have become more frequent, more intense, and longer-lasting because of climate change.

Europe Sees Earliest Summer Heatwave in Decades | DW News

Jun 17, 2022 • A pre-summer heatwave in Europe has temperatures rising above 40 degrees celsius. Spain has already been sweltering under severe temperatures for almost a week, the earliest summer heat wave in over 40 years. Now other regions in Europe are bracing for soaring temperatures. Fires have already broken out in Spain.

Liens connexes ici

New Study Predicts Millions of Americans May Become Exposed To "Off The Charts" Heat

Climate scientist Michael Mann discusses the increasing frequency and severity of heat waves, just as the US, Europe, and India are experiencing this Summer

Italy Issues Alarm Over Prolonged Drought

Swathes of southern Europe are facing record heatwaves and prolonged drought. Many areas of Spain and Italy have had to deal with temperatures of more than 40 degrees Celsius. Italian authorities have issued “red alarm” risk warnings for 26 cities. Al Jazeera’s Hoda Abdel-Hamid reports.

Inside Story Americas – Extreme Weather: Linked to Climate Change?
Extreme weather has gripped much of the United States recently and thousands of heat records have been broken. At least 46 deaths have been linked to the July heat wave alone. A study released this week shows that the last 12 months have been the warmest on record for the US mainland. And these numbers do not even include July's high temperatures. In late June, a violent weather system left more than a dozen people dead and millions without power for days across several states. Most of the country is suffering from moderate to extreme drought, creating conditions ideal for raging wildfires.