Record ocean warmth and severe drought fuel wildfires across Europe

Global sea surface temperatures reached an unprecedented average of 20.96 degrees Celsius in July, coinciding with Western Europe's warmest June-July period on record. Globally, July ranked as the second-hottest month observed, measuring approximately 1.47 degrees Celsius above estimated pre-industrial baselines.

The persistent heat and arid conditions have fueled major wildfires across several European nations, including France, Belgium, Greece, and parts of the Balkans. In southwestern France, an active fire in the Landes department has consumed more than 1,580 hectares of forest, prompting the evacuation of roughly 650 residences. Meanwhile, in eastern Belgium, emergency teams continue efforts to control a blaze across the Hautes Fagnes nature reserve in Liège province, where parched vegetation and difficult meteorological conditions have complicated suppression efforts.

Sources: Diário de Notícias (DN), Expresso, Jornal Económico, RTP (Rádio e Televisão de Portugal)