Europe ablaze as record heat fuels wildfires and chaos

The burnt out remains of a house following a huge blaze in Stourbridge, in the West Midlands

Europe is battling a wave of destructive wildfires as record-breaking temperatures collide with tinder-dry landscapes. From Britain to France, Germany and Croatia, firefighters are confronting fast-moving flames, mass evacuations and conditions made harder by extreme heat and drought.

France faces fires as drought reaches historic levels

More than 500 people were evacuated from Luglon in south-west France as hundreds of firefighters tackled a new blaze in the Landes region. The fire erupted as France faces what is reported to be its driest year on record.

Wildfires have also torn through areas unaccustomed to such intense heat, including northern France and Brittany. Last month, a huge fire near Bordeaux forced around 250,000 people from their homes.

Britain’s heatwave sparks a rush of emergencies

In Stourbridge, West Midlands, flames ripped through homes after a grassland fire spread into residential areas. Around 20 to 30 houses were completely destroyed, while 19 people were taken to hospital amid thousands of emergency calls.

The Met Office recorded 38.1C in west London on Thursday — Britain’s hottest day of the year. July was also the driest on record for England and Wales, with some areas receiving little or no rain for weeks.

Germany’s firefighters face a hidden threat

Nearly 1,800 residents of Gey in North Rhine-Westphalia were evacuated as flames approached the village. Around 300 hectares of forest were burning, but firefighters faced an additional danger: unexploded Second World War ammunition scattered through the woodland.

Shifting winds increased the threat, pushing the fire to within about 300 metres of homes.

Croatia sees flames reach the coast

In Omis, more than 1,000 people fled as strong winds drove a wildfire towards the town centre. Fourteen people were hospitalised, seven in life-threatening condition, while homes, cars and boats were damaged.

Other fires have raged across Albania and Greece, forcing further evacuations.

Croatian blaze near Omis

Heat is now hitting Europe’s power system

Belgium and the Netherlands faced temperatures approaching 37C as drought intensified. In France, six nuclear reactors were shut down because high river temperatures and low water levels threatened cooling operations, while jellyfish clogged one coastal plant.

The disruptions underline a wider problem: Europe is not simply enduring hotter summers. Extreme heat is increasingly colliding with infrastructure, water supplies and emergency services built for a very different climate.

Europe on fire as record-breaking temperatures hit continent