Heatwave fuels wildfires and low river levels across Southern Europe

Nexus Europa Newsroom
Posted Aug 11, 2026, 01:30 AM UTC · In the digest of 2026-08-11-0130
Heatwave fuels wildfires and low river levels across Southern Europe
Photo: Index

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.

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