Europe faces a third heatwave as fires in the south force the evacuation of thousands of residents

Western Europe is entering the third major heatwave of the summer, a situation that is increasing the risk of severe wildfire outbreaks and putting further strain on energy systems across the region, Bloomberg reports.

Forecasts from authorities and meteorological models show that during this week, a strong high-pressure system will bring extreme temperatures to France, southern England and the Iberian Peninsula.

In some parts of southwestern France, daytime highs are expected to reach up to 40 degrees Celsius. Climate change is further worsening episodes of extreme heat on the continent that is warming faster than any other in the world. Record temperatures and a lack of rainfall have led to the most severe start to the global wildfire season ever recorded, while climate researchers warn that the El Niño phenomenon could create even more difficult conditions during the rest of the summer.

The consequences of the prolonged heat are becoming increasingly visible, as severe drought is raising the likelihood of new outbreaks in France, Spain, Portugal and Greece. According to European Commission spokesperson Eva Hrncirova, the European Union has deployed a record number of firefighters across the continent, as well as 22 firefighting aircraft, to support efforts to tackle the flames. Over the weekend, Portugal and France asked the European bloc for urgent firefighting assistance as they were dealing with several active blazes. About 10,000 people have been evacuated because of the flames that continue to spread in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southwestern France.

From the start of this year until now, fires have scorched about 145 square kilometers of territory in France, nearly three times more than the area burned during the same period in 2025.