2026 European wildfires
One page that accretes the verified record as the story develops. Every fact keeps its date and its sources.
Large forest fire burns near residential areas in Ankara
The event was published on 24 Aug 2026.
A large forest fire is threatening homes near residential areas of Mamak on the outskirts of Ankara.
EU and Russian aircraft help Serbia battle wildfires
The EU response includes four Black Hawk helicopters from Romania, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic, along with firefighter teams and vehicles from Germany and Romania.
Helicopters and firefighters from EU countries including the Czech Republic and Romania are working alongside Serbian teams to contain a large wildfire in Deliblatska Pescara, a protected nature reserve near Belgrade.
Serbia is not an EU member but can request aid under the EU's Civil Protection Mechanism.
Serbia requests international assistance for wildfires
Serbia requested assistance from the European Union and Russia to help bring intense wildfires under control.
Wildfires are sweeping the Balkans.
European wildfires expose and detonate buried war munitions
In Slovakia, the Danube River fell and exposed two naval mines that police pulled out and buried in a trench for controlled demolition.
Heavy rains in January spurred vegetation growth that became kindling when high temperatures arrived.
Over 180 homes were destroyed by the fire near Bordeaux, according to local authorities.
“It’s reliving the legacies of war and conflict in a way that we haven’t had to deal with in a while in certain places.”
European wildfires detonate buried World War unexploded munitions
The Belgian Ministry of Defense said it receives requests from the region about every week to assist in disarming explosives.
Sarah Njeri said the fires and explosions, fueled by climate change, show that Europe's "climatic luck" is running out.
Bernard Collard said the munitions killed six civilians in the High Fens in the first four years after Germany's surrender in 1945.
“It’s reliving the legacies of war and conflict in a way that we haven’t had to deal with in a while in certain places.”
Wildfires in Belgium and Greece kill two near Athens
U.K. officials recorded the hottest day of the year on Thursday, when temperatures reached 38.1 C (100.6 F).
In Germany, about 2,000 evacuated residents of Gey were allowed to return home Saturday after firefighters made progress against a wildfire in the Hürtgen Forest.
A wildfire in eastern Belgium burned about 30 square kilometers (12 square miles) of the High Fens nature reserve.
“These conditions enabled the fire to quickly reach dangerous proportions and spread rapidly within seven minutes toward nearby residential areas,”
British couple's wildfire escape in Greece
Fires have also burned in Portugal, France and Spain during the summer of 2026.
Jon Hale said arson was suspected locally, although the cause of the fire had not been officially confirmed by authorities.
Firefighters worked through the night and by morning had significantly reduced the fire in Kefalonia.
“There was a bit of panic at the time because the fires were spreading so quickly and there wasn't a lot of information.”
Europe's wildfire crisis eases in west as danger shifts east to Greece
About 198,000 people were allowed home after the evacuation in southwestern France, which may have been the country's largest peacetime evacuation.
Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister Evangelos Tournas said extreme turbulence was preventing some aircraft from collecting water or approaching the fires closely enough to make drops.
The second French fire remained active Saturday and 2,500 people were still unable to return home.
“There are little details here and there that I recognize, but otherwise everything is unrecognizable,”
Wildfires near Bordeaux threaten France's vineyards and wine industry
Police made 308 arrests in connection with blazes this summer in France, more than 120 involving minors.
Investigators suspect that contractors clearing away vegetation inadvertently ignited the blaze.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said Ukraine was sending 70 people and 10 vehicles to help.
“The big problem in terms of financial damage is that three years down the line, when these red wines are released, people are gonna remember … that the whole place caught on fire,”
France and Spain wildfires force mass evacuations; blazes flare across Europe
Spain's government declared a national fire emergency for the first time due to infernos in the Madrid region and Ávila.
Romania shut down both reactors at its Cernavoda nuclear power plant due to low water levels in the Danube River.
The wildfire in southwest France is no longer growing beyond 420 square kilometers.
Wildfires displace over 300,000 across southwest Europe; France orders more evacuations
At least three firefighters died battling wildfires in southern Europe.
More than 2,200 firefighters and over 20 aircraft remained mobilized against the Gironde blaze.
An evacuation order was lifted for about 20,000 people in the Madrid region of Spain.
French president visits fire zone and pledges support
Fires burned 1,530 square kilometers in Spain in 2026, six times the area scorched in the first half of 2025.
A wildfire near Peschici, Italy, forced the evacuation of about 300 tourists from beaches and campgrounds.
The fire came within 15 kilometers of Bordeaux's outskirts.
“What we are experiencing is not a series of isolated incidents. It is the consequence of a climate emergency that is making wildfires even more violent, heat waves more frequent,”
European wildfires in maps
The fires came close to sensitive military and industrial sites in France, including facilities that work on ballistic missiles, rocket motors, and hazardous chemical processing.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said the climate emergency is worsening year after year.
Four French firefighters have died while on duty, according to officials.
British couple return to village affected by Spanish wildfire
Emma Mitchell said their house survived the fire.
The Andalusian regional government and the Spanish Civil Guard police did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The Mitchells said they were never given clear instructions on how to flee in case of a fire.
Deadly Spain wildfire forces evacuations
At least 12 people have died and 23 others are missing in a wildfire in southern Spain.
Los Gallardos mayor Francisco Miguel Reyes said it was the first time the area faced a fire as devastating as this.
Officials said an electricity pole fell in woodland and sparked the blaze in the Los Gallardos area of Almería on Thursday afternoon.