Spain’s largest wildfire of 2026 has burned for six days in Guadalajara province near Madrid, scorching about 30,000 hectares and forcing over 1,200 people to evacuate as temperatures exceeded 40 degrees Celsius (104 F) [1, 2, 3, 4]. The intense heat has contributed to extreme fire danger conditions in the region.

In southwestern France’s Gironde region, two firefighters died combating wildfires, marking the second firefighter fatality in the country this month after one was killed in the Savoie region two weeks earlier [1, 5, 3, 4]. Meanwhile, a separate wildfire in southern France’s Var department has consumed 500 hectares and was spreading toward the town of Cotignac [5, 3, 4].

Europe has endured three nearly continuous heatwaves during summer 2026, driving extreme heat and drought conditions across many areas [1, 2, 3, 4]. These heatwaves have been deadly, contributing to thousands of excess deaths in May and June [1, 3]. England is grappling with its longest dry spell since the mid-1990s after receiving only 3% of typical July rainfall, prompting Thames Water to impose restrictions banning outdoor water use for about 10 million customers in London and nearby areas [1, 3, 4].

Greece is experiencing its first significant heatwave of the summer, with temperatures near 40 degrees Celsius [1, 3, 4]. The Western Balkans have issued hailstorm warnings following the heat, with hail causing injuries in Rovinj, Croatia, while Serbia’s Danube River water level has dropped to its lowest since 1946, disrupting barge traffic [3, 4].

Sicily has also felt the heat’s impact, where temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius and strong winds fueled wildfires that destroyed olive groves. Sicilian farmer Marco Barbaccia said, “We can’t save anything. This year’s harvest and trees are all gone, meaning the production of Sicily’s premium extra virgin olive oil will disappear for years to come” [3].

Scientists attribute the rising frequency and intensity of these heatwaves, droughts, and wildfires largely to human-driven climate change [1, 2, 3].

As of July 21, firefighting and evacuation efforts continue near Guadalajara in Spain, while France battles ongoing wildfires in Gironde and Var departments [1, 2, 5, 3, 4]. Authorities remain on high alert for further fire risks as heat persists.