Storyline
European wildfires spread amid extreme heatwave
Wildfires fueled by extreme temperatures exceeding 40°C are spreading across southern France, Spain, Italy, and Sicily, resulting in evacuations of hundreds of people and multiple firefighter deaths. Europe is preparing for an incoming heatwave with temperatures potentially reaching 47°C.
This is a long-running storyline that has developed over 16 days. The homepage highlights its most recent activity, so the outlet count there reflects the latest wave. The totals above cover the full run.
FranceSpainItalySicilyEurope
2026-08-03
2026-08-02
- Wildfires rage across Europe as firefighters battle blazes strengthened by gale-force winds
- From Athens to Bordeaux, Europe’s deadly wildfire emergency rages on
- From Athens to Bordeaux, Europe’s deadly wildfire emergency rages on
- Europe’s wildfire crisis fractures as Greece evacuates and France guards megafire scar
- Europe’s wildfire crisis fractures as Greece evacuates and France guards megafire scar
- Greece: Blazes continue to spread across the country
2026-08-01
- Greece battles raging wildfires as flames appear to ease in France
- Europe’s wildfire crisis eases in west as danger shifts east to Greece
- Wildfire crisis eases in western Europe but worsens in Greece as winds drive new blazes
- Wildfire crisis eases in western Europe but worsens in Greece as winds drive new blazes
- Wildfires Spread Across Southern Europe
- Europe’s wildfire crisis shifts as some 200,000 French return but new blazes force thousands to flee
- Why Is Europe Burning?
2026-07-31
- Climate change made Spain’s wildfires 20 times more likely, study finds
- Firefighters battle the last hot spots of a monster wildfire in France's southwest
- How did climate change fuel the wildfires ravaging Europe this summer?
- Here’s what supercharged the monster wildfires in Spain and France
- ‘Extremely scary findings’ show climate crisis is supercharging Europe’s wildfire weather
- Europe braces for wave of wildfires as prospects rise for ‘overload’
2026-07-30
- Firefighters face unrelenting battle with flames
- Climate change made France, Spain wildfire conditions far more likely, scientists say
- Human-caused climate change made Spanish, French fires much more likely, scientists calculate
- Human-caused climate change made Spanish, French fires much more likely, scientists calculate
- Human-caused climate change made Spanish, French fires much more likely, scientists calculate
- Human-caused climate change made Spanish, French fires much more likely, scientists calculate
- France, Spain eye respite from wildfires as other blazes break out in Europe
- Battle against monster wildfire in France boosted by improving weather
- Battle against monster wildfire in France boosted by improving weather
- Spain, France, UK warn megafires show climate change is ‘threatening our way of life’
- Cooler weather and potential rain move into the French region torched by wildfires
- Cooler weather and potential rain move into the French region torched by wildfires
- Cooler weather and potential rain move into the French region torched by wildfires
- Cooler weather and potential rain move into the French region torched by wildfires
- Cooler weather and potential rain move into the French region torched by wildfires
- Live: Fontainebleau fire contained, but southern Europe on high alert as wildfires rage
- Spain eases evacuations as France battles fresh wildfires amid new heatwave
2026-07-29
- Southern Europe burns as 2 firefighters die and France battles blaze 4 times the size of Paris
- Wildfires could hit 'all of Europe' within days, EU's emergency response chief warns as inferno kills two firefighters in Greece and flare-ups continue in France
- The Latest: Fire crews in southwest France battle massive blaze as they face extreme temperatures
- As Europe burns, experts insist on wholistic strategies to fight record-breaking blazes
- French wildfires: FRANCE 24 goes on the ground with firefighters
- Wildfire in France has burned an area four times the size of Paris
- Wildfire in France has burned an area four times the size of Paris
- France battles wildfire 4 times the size of Paris
- Firefighter 'morale remains high' despite heatwave coming to France's blazing southwest
- More European tourism destinations are hit by wildfires as villages are evacuated on top Greek holiday island and France battles flare ups in 40C heat
- Incoming heatwave set to worsen firefighting conditions in France's southwest