Western Europe heat wave breaks June-July temperature record as wildfire risk rises

Western Europe has recorded a new June-July average temperature high as persistent heat waves continue to affect the region. Copernicus said the average temperature for the two-month period reached 21.62C, surpassing the previous record set in 2022. The latest figures come as the summer heat has already been linked to drought, wildfires and new national temperature records across the region.

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The climate monitoring service said the record was overturned by the hot spells that have been affecting Western Europe since May. It said the intense heat has contributed to a protracted drought and thousands of anticipated heat-related deaths. The same report also said July's global average surface air temperature was 16.90C, making it the second-warmest July on record and equal to July 2024.

Copernicus added that the year remains on track to rank among the hottest ever recorded. Officials and firefighters have already been dealing with the practical consequences of the heat. In one example cited in the report, firefighters, helicopters and the military worked through Sunday to contain a large wildfire on Mount Kruje, while residents from several villages were evacuated.

Authorities also arrested a man suspected of accidentally starting the blaze. Three military helicopters were assisting ground crews as efforts continued to bring the fire under control. The new record matters because it adds to evidence that extreme heat is becoming more persistent and more disruptive across Europe.

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The report said persistent high-pressure systems trapped heat over western Europe and amplified widespread drought, reducing the cooling effect normally provided by moist soils. Samantha Burgess, strategic lead for climate at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, said the pattern showed how climate change is intensifying heat extremes and how heat and drought are increasingly reinforcing one another. The broader climate context is also significant.

Copernicus said the world has so far experienced the third-hottest year, behind 2024 and 2025, but warned that 2026 still has time to catch up. Scientists cited accelerated human-caused global warming and a stronger El Nino pattern in the Pacific as factors that could push temperatures higher by the end of the year. The service also said July saw the highest average sea surface temperature ever recorded for the month across the extra-polar oceans.

What remains unclear is how long the current heat pattern will persist and how much further damage it may cause to communities, agriculture and emergency services. The report does not give a full regional toll for the wildfires or the expected heat-related deaths. The next developments to watch are whether temperatures ease, whether more fires break out, and whether the year moves closer to or beyond the hottest on record.

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