Heatwave fuels wildfires and low river levels across Southern Europe

Wildfires persist across Greece, Albania, and Croatia, while extreme heat and drought severely drop water levels on the Rhine and Danube.
An ongoing heatwave across Southern and Eastern Europe continues to trigger wildfires and severe logistical challenges. In Albania's southern Mallakaster region, emergency services evacuated around 15 families alongside their livestock as blazes threatened residential areas. Meanwhile, Croatian authorities deployed air tankers to extinguish a new fire burning through rugged terrain near Lećevica.
In Greece, firefighters supported by international crews from France and Romania managed to weaken major blazes west of Athens, allowing some residents to return to damaged properties, though flare-ups persist in difficult terrain.
Beyond forest fires, prolonged drought has significantly reduced water levels along major European waterways. Dropping depths on the Rhine now threaten cargo navigation, while low levels on the Danube have created disruptions for energy generation in Hungary.
Sources: HRT Vijesti, Index, Klix, Tanjug, Vijesti.
Sources
- Vijesti — Požari slabe u Grčkoj, stanovnici se vraćaju u spaljene domove
- Index — Požari u Albaniji, toplinski val se premješta u istočnu i južnu Europu
- HRT Vijesti — Požari u Albaniji s premještanjem vrućina u istočnu i južnu Europu
- Tanjug — Hrvatska: Kod Lećevice izbio požar na nepristupačnom terenu, gase ga kanaderi
- Klix — Toplotni val nije ostavio posljedice samo po Dunav: Nizak vodostaj prijeti da onemogući plovidbu dijelovima Rajne
Earlier coverage
- Sep 14, 2026, 03:30 AM UTCFirefighters control Dalmatian blazes as Serbia battles multiple active fires
- Sep 13, 2026, 10:00 PM UTCWildfires hit Croatia and Serbia, causing casualties and mass evacuations
- Sep 6, 2026, 09:30 PM UTCFirefighters contain Croatian blazes as dozens of wildfires burn across Serbia
- Sep 4, 2026, 03:00 AM UTCWildfires cause casualties and mass evacuations across Croatia and Serbia
- Sep 2, 2026, 03:00 AM UTCBalkan emergency crews subdue major wildfires in Croatia and tackle blazes in Serbia
- Aug 31, 2026, 09:00 AM UTCEmergency crews battle destructive blazes across Croatia and Serbia
- Aug 30, 2026, 09:00 PM UTCFirefighters control Dalmatian wildfires as blazes persist across Serbia
- Aug 29, 2026, 09:00 PM UTCWildfire response continues in Croatia and Serbia amid casualties and damage
- Aug 24, 2026, 01:00 AM UTCEmergency crews battle destructive wildfires across Croatia and Serbia
- Aug 22, 2026, 02:30 PM UTCBalkan wildfires leave casualties and devastation across Croatia and Serbia