July was the driest month in southern England since records began, according to weather officials, as repeated heatwaves turned the region brown. Rainfall came in well below normal, and parts of the country are now in drought. Farmers warned that the dry conditions could lead to food shortages, with crops struggling and reservoirs running low. The heat has also fueled wildfires across France and Greece. Water companies have introduced restrictions such as hosepipe bans, and experts say the region needs sustained rain to recover before autumn arrives. Officials said the record reflects a wider pattern of hotter, drier summers across Europe.
Greek firefighters battled Sunday to control a huge wildfire that destroyed more than 100 homes northwest of Athens. The blaze spread quickly in hot, dry winds, forcing hundreds of evacuations. Two people died when two firefighting helicopters collided west of Athens, temporarily halting aerial operations. The fire is one of several burning across Europe, where France and Spain are also fighting blazes. Drought has spread so far that Hungary shut its nuclear power plant when the Danube River dropped too low for cooling. Austria broke heat records and Japan is bracing for Typhoon Dolphin. Scientists say extreme heat and dry conditions are making fire seasons longer across the region. This report covers the fire, the helicopter crash, and the wider heat crisis.
Massive wildfires in France and Spain have forced about 330,000 people to evacuate as another heat wave moves across southern Europe. Fire crews are battling blazes in southwestern France and in Spain, where flames have spread quickly in dry conditions. Authorities ordered new evacuations over the weekend as temperatures climbed again. Scientists say climate change is making such fires more frequent and intense. The evacuations are among the largest seen in the region in years, and emergency services in both countries are stretched thin.
Arctic sea ice reached its lowest winter extent on record this year, scientists said, as unprecedented heat continued to smash records around the world. The winter ice cover is the smallest ever measured by satellites, a sign that the Arctic is warming faster than the rest of the planet. At the same time, heat waves, droughts, and wildfires have hit multiple continents. Researchers said the shrinking ice cover affects weather patterns far beyond the Arctic, including winter storms in North America and Europe. The findings add to a growing body of evidence that climate change is accelerating.
Arctic sea ice reached its lowest winter level on record this year, according to scientists who track polar ice, as unusually warm conditions persisted across the region. The record follows a year of extreme heat around the world, with wildfires burning across Australia, Argentina, and South Africa. In Europe, a new report found that climate change has sharply increased the likelihood of the hot, dry weather that helped wildfires spread in France and Spain. Scientists say the record low ice and the surge in fires share the same driver: rising global temperatures. They warn that some changes, including the loss of summer sea ice, may already be unavoidable in the coming decades.
Massive wildfires across southwestern France and Spain have forced more than 300,000 people from their homes, making them some of Europe's largest fires in decades. A new heatwave pushing temperatures above 40°C (104°F) threatens to worsen the crisis. In France's Bordeaux region, more than 200,000 were evacuated over the weekend. Spain allowed some residents to return to Madrid-area communities as fires stabilized, but blazes in Castellón remain active. Firefighters from multiple countries are assisting in containment efforts.
A devastating heatwave across Europe has been linked to more than 1,300 excess deaths since June 21, according to WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Germany recorded its hottest day ever at 41.7°C. Scientists from the World Weather Attribution consortium said the heatwave would have been 2°C cooler in 2003 and is impossible without climate change.
Marvel Studios brought SDCC 2026 to a roar: Ryan Gosling will star as Ghost Rider, and David Jonsson takes over as T’Challa in Black Panther 3. A new Avengers: Doomsday trailer also dropped.
Marvel Studios announced at San Diego Comic-Con that Ryan Gosling will play Ghost Rider in a new standalone film directed by Shawn Levy, set for release in 2028.