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Gone quiet · last update Aug 15, 2026 / France

The 2026 European wildfires, from Spain and France to Greece

Overview · reviewed October 28, 2026

In the summer of 2026, heat waves and strong winds fed wildfires across Europe, from Spain and France to Greece, Scotland and Belgium.[1][2][3] The largest, in France's Gironde department west of Bordeaux, grew to four times the size of Paris and forced the evacuation of some 200,000 people before firefighters held it inside its perimeter in early August.[4][5][6] Fires near Madrid drove 70,000 people from their homes, and firefighters were killed in Greece.[7][8] Over the past 20 years, CNN reported, the area burned in Europe has increased.[9]

Read the timeline

Follow this story to see new developments when you return.

The largest, in France's Gironde department west of Bordeaux, grew to four times the size of Paris and forced the evacuation of some 200,000 people before firefighters held it inside its perimeter in early August.[4][5][6] Fires near Madrid drove 70,000 people from their homes, and firefighters were killed in Greece.[7][8] Over the past 20 years, CNN reported, the area burned in Europe has increased.[9]

Coverage over time

Share of tracked outlets · weekly (UTC)

Week of 2026-06-29 (UTC): 1%, 3 of 569 tracked outlets (1 left, 1 center, 1 right)Week of 2026-07-06 (UTC): 8%, 43 of 560 tracked outlets (9 left, 25 center, 9 right)Week of 2026-07-13 (UTC): 2%, 13 of 559 tracked outlets (2 left, 9 center, 2 right)Week of 2026-07-20 (UTC): 8%, 45 of 562 tracked outlets (9 left, 26 center, 10 right)Week of 2026-07-27 (UTC): 9%, 48 of 561 tracked outlets (18 left, 22 center, 8 right)Week of 2026-08-03 (UTC): 3%, 14 of 537 tracked outlets (4 left, 6 center, 4 right)Week of 2026-08-10 (UTC): 4%, 23 of 545 tracked outlets (6 left, 10 center, 7 right)Week of 2026-08-17 (UTC): 2%, 10 of 464 tracked outlets (1 left, 7 center, 2 right)Week of 2026-08-24 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-08-31 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-09-07 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-09-14 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-09-21 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-09-28 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-10-05 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-10-12 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-10-19 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-10-26 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-11-02 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outletsWeek of 2026-11-09 (UTC): no coverage from tracked outlets, so far

LeftCenterRightLighter bar: this week so far

Each bar is the share of the outlets on our Left / Center / Right rating scale that we tracked publishing that week which carried reporting on this story, split by the outlets' ratings. We track more outlets now than in the archive, so a share keeps earlier and later weeks comparable. An outlet counts once a week however much it published, and outlets in one ownership or syndication group count as one on each side they appear on. A rating describes the outlet, not the report. A gap means no such reports were collected that week, not that nothing was reported anywhere. Weeks run Monday to Sunday in UTC, so a report published on a Sunday evening in US Eastern time counts in the next week. 8 more outlets off the scale (not rated, or outside the left-right graphs) also reported; they are not in this chart. See them.

Weekly counts, outlets and reports (8 weeks with coverage)
Outlets on the rating scale that carried this story each week, of the outlets tracked that week, newest first
Week of (UTC)LeftCenterRightOf trackedShareReceipts
Aug 17, 202617210 of 4642%
Aug 10, 2026610723 of 5454%
Aug 3, 202646414 of 5373%
Jul 27, 20261822848 of 5619%
Jul 20, 20269261045 of 5628%
Jul 13, 202629213 of 5592%
Jul 6, 2026925943 of 5608%
Jun 29, 20261113 of 5691%

Latest coverage

The newest reporting in this story's record.

  1. Aug 15, 2026 · first reported · Headline from Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

    Belgium wildfire continues to rage

Background

Fires broke out early in the season. In early July, blazes spread in the Aude and Hérault regions of southern France after weeks of dry weather and record temperatures,[10] and near the Spanish town of Béjar firefighters battled one of Spain's deadliest wildfires.[11] In mid-July two fires burned more than 2,000 hectares of the historic Fontainebleau forest near Paris before they were contained.[12] Later in the month fires forced evacuations around Toledo,[13] and another 25,000 people were evacuated from villages near Madrid, bringing the total there to 70,000.[7]

Read the full background (2 more paragraphs)

The worst began in a pine forest about 45 kilometers west of Bordeaux, forcing more than 20,000 people from their homes in its first days.[14] Driven by strong winds, it kept growing;[1] its smoke column became a thunderstorm that generated lightning and ignited new fires,[15] and France sent a military cargo plane to drop flame retardant.[16] Evacuation orders reached Atlantic coast tourist sites,[17] and organizers changed the route of the Tour de France's final stage.[18] By July 30 France began letting 84,000 evacuees return,[19] and on August 1 firefighters held the fire within its perimeter, allowing about 198,000 people to go home.[6]

Greece faced its own catastrophe. Two firefighters died battling a wind-driven blaze on Crete,[8][20] a week of fires was compounded by a deadly mid-air collision between two firefighting aircraft,[21] and police arrested two people in connection with some of the fires.[22] In mid-August a new wave of record-breaking heat brought more fires,[23] two people died in fires on the island of Salamis, and Belgium battled its biggest fire in more than a century near the German border.[3]

Supporting stories (23)
  1. More than 200,000 people flee raging wildfires in France and Spain, some escaping by boat
  2. France braces for fresh evacuations as Spain eases wildfire restrictions
  3. Belgian wildfire approaches Germany as Greece probes deadly blaze
  4. France battles wildfire four times the size of Paris as 40 C heat threatens new surge
  5. Back from Gironde: France 24's Luke Shrago gives firsthand account of fires
  6. Europe’s wildfire crisis shifts as some 200,000 French return but new blazes force thousands to flee
  7. Spain struggles to contain wildfires: 60,000 evacuated around Madrid
  8. Greece continues to battle major wildfire west of Athens
  9. Tracking the wildfires in Europe, in maps and charts
  10. After heat wave: Wildfires ravage southern France
  11. Deadliest Spain wildfire in years kills at least 13 people near Los Gallardos
  12. Planes scoop up water from River Seine to battle wildfire near Paris
  13. Firefighters battle one of Spain’s biggest-ever wildfires during heat wave across the Mediterranean
  14. Wildfire spreads near popular French tourist town as thousands are evacuated
  15. French wildfire created a monster cloud, unleashing lightning that ignited more fires
  16. Devastating wildfires send 267,000 fleeing in France and Spain
  17. More than 4,000 more evacuated from France vacation spots
  18. More than 250,000 people evacuated, Tour de France cut short as France and Spain battle wildfires
  19. As France tames wildfire and lets 84,000 evacuees go home, blazes flare across Europe
  20. Southern Europe burns as 2 firefighters die and France battles blaze 4 times the size of Paris
  21. Firefighters scramble to contain fires outside Athens before winds and high temperatures return
  22. Greece's wildfires claim lives as firefighters struggle to contain flames
  23. European countries battle multiple wildfires as record heat grips the continent

The full record

Each date is when an update was first reported.

All 37 recorded updates

August 2026

  1. Belgian wildfire approaches Germany as Greece probes deadly blazeHeadline from Philadelphia Inquirer · 23 outlets
  2. France: Landes wildfire stopped spreading but remains out of controlHeadline from France 24 · 2 outlets
  3. European countries battle multiple wildfires as record heat grips the continentHeadline from Philadelphia Inquirer · 17 outlets

July 2026

  1. As heat and dry conditions fan wildfires in France, volunteers fan out to helpHeadline from Jonesboro Sun · 8 outlets
  2. Europe’s wildfire crisis shifts as some 200,000 French return but new blazes force thousands to fleeHeadline from The Republic · 10 outlets
  3. Firefighters scramble to contain fires outside Athens before winds and high temperatures returnHeadline from Daily Journal · 16 outlets
  4. Greece's wildfires claim lives as firefighters struggle to contain flamesHeadline from France 24 · 6 outlets
  5. Greece continues to battle major wildfire west of AthensHeadline from KYMA Yuma · 5 outlets
  6. France fire crews face searing heat in battle to contain flamesHeadline from BBC News · 8 outlets
  7. France battles wildfire four times the size of Paris as 40 C heat threatens new surgeHeadline from Philadelphia Inquirer · 9 outlets
  8. Southern Europe burns as 2 firefighters die and France battles blaze 4 times the size of ParisHeadline from WHEC Rochester · 5 outlets
  9. More than 4,000 more evacuated from France vacation spotsHeadline from AL.com · 6 outlets
  10. Heatwave threatens firefighting mission in France's southwestHeadline from France 24 · 1 outlet
  11. France orders 4,000 more evacuated as fires displace a third of a million across southwest EuropeHeadline from Philadelphia Inquirer · 12 outlets
  12. ‘Extremely scary findings’ show climate crisis is supercharging Europe’s wildfire weatherHeadline from The Guardian · 7 outlets
  13. French wildfire created a monster cloud, unleashing lightning that ignited more firesHeadline from Green Field Reporter · 6 outlets
  14. France, Spain race to contain 'monster' fires ahead of new heatwaveHeadline from WFMZ Allentown · 3 outlets
  15. Firefighters battle the last hot spots of a monster wildfire in the southwestHeadline from The Republic · 11 outlets
  16. Europe wildfires: France expands mass evacuations as Spain battles record blazeHeadline from Deutsche Welle · 17 outlets
  17. Firefighters in France battle to prevent huge blaze from approaching BordeauxHeadline from The Guardian · 5 outlets
  18. Wildfires in France drive 250,000 people from their homes and creep toward wine city of BordeauxHeadline from Jonesboro Sun · 11 outlets
  19. Wildfires threaten France's historic Bordeaux wine regionHeadline from CBS News · 20 outlets
  20. More than 250,000 people evacuated, Tour de France cut short as France and Spain battle wildfiresHeadline from WQAD · 13 outlets
  21. As France tames wildfire and lets 84,000 evacuees go home, blazes flare across EuropeHeadline from Philadelphia Inquirer · 16 outlets
  22. France braces for fresh evacuations as Spain eases wildfire restrictionsHeadline from France 24 · 15 outlets

Coverage & sources

Read the reports, see how much was collected over time, or compare outlets by political leaning.

Coverage & sources →