Europe in drought & wildfires - in pictures

  • This aerial photograph shows the wreckage of a World War II German warship, one of dozens sunk by retreating Nazi forces in September 1944, emerging from the low waters of the Danube River near Prahovo, Serbia, as drought and prolonged hot and dry weather continues to lower water levels across the region. Heat and drought are driving rivers across Europe to record lows. Low levels along the Danube river have already seen Hungary and Romania forced to consider shuttering their nuclear plants, which rely on the water for cooling, in late July, though both managed to avoid doing so for now. AFP
    This aerial photograph shows the wreckage of a World War II German warship, one of dozens sunk by retreating Nazi forces in September 1944, emerging from the low waters of the Danube River near Prahovo, Serbia, as drought and prolonged hot and dry weather continues to lower water levels across the region. Heat and drought are driving rivers across Europe to record lows. Low levels along the Danube river have already seen Hungary and Romania forced to consider shuttering their nuclear plants, which rely on the water for cooling, in late July, though both managed to avoid doing so for now. AFP
  • A car drives pas dried-out fields in Leopoldsdorf im Marchfelde, Austria. Much of Europe is bracing for yet another scorching heatwave following periods of record drought that have driven rivers to historic lows, ignited historic forest fires and contributed to thousands of deaths. Unusually high temperatures were also forecast in the coming days across a number of countries not accustomed to the heat, such as Switzerland, Austria and Hungary. AFP
    A car drives pas dried-out fields in Leopoldsdorf im Marchfelde, Austria. Much of Europe is bracing for yet another scorching heatwave following periods of record drought that have driven rivers to historic lows, ignited historic forest fires and contributed to thousands of deaths. Unusually high temperatures were also forecast in the coming days across a number of countries not accustomed to the heat, such as Switzerland, Austria and Hungary. AFP
  • Residents and firefighters work to extinguish an advancing wildfire near Formariz in Zamora province, Spain. Reuters
    Residents and firefighters work to extinguish an advancing wildfire near Formariz in Zamora province, Spain. Reuters
  • Italian farmer Mattia Marengo inspects his sunflower field damaged by the heat in the countryside in Bene Vagienna, near Cuneo, north-western Italy. AFP
    Italian farmer Mattia Marengo inspects his sunflower field damaged by the heat in the countryside in Bene Vagienna, near Cuneo, north-western Italy. AFP
  • A closed water slide and exposed lakebed during a heat wave on Lake Velence, Hungary. Hungary is boosting electricity production at its sole nuclear plant in Paks as the Danube’s water level has rebounded from record lows, Prime Minister Peter Magyar said Monday. Bloomberg
    A closed water slide and exposed lakebed during a heat wave on Lake Velence, Hungary. Hungary is boosting electricity production at its sole nuclear plant in Paks as the Danube’s water level has rebounded from record lows, Prime Minister Peter Magyar said Monday. Bloomberg
  • A ’No Fishing’ sign is pictured in the dried up Falmer Pond in Falmer, East Sussex, south of London. Climate change has intensified a drought across Europe this summer, with extreme heat driving the exceptionally dry conditions, according to experts. AFP
    A ’No Fishing’ sign is pictured in the dried up Falmer Pond in Falmer, East Sussex, south of London. Climate change has intensified a drought across Europe this summer, with extreme heat driving the exceptionally dry conditions, according to experts. AFP
  • This aerial view shows burnt cars following a wildfire in Le Porge, in the Gironde Department, south-western France. The fires, which are on an unprecedented scale and have forced the evacuation of around 200,000 "fire refugees" in Gironde and the Landes, were still not under control on July 25, 2026 and continue to keep firefighters and military personnel on high alert, including an A400M aircraft deployed to tackle the blaze for the first time. AFP
    This aerial view shows burnt cars following a wildfire in Le Porge, in the Gironde Department, south-western France. The fires, which are on an unprecedented scale and have forced the evacuation of around 200,000 "fire refugees" in Gironde and the Landes, were still not under control on July 25, 2026 and continue to keep firefighters and military personnel on high alert, including an A400M aircraft deployed to tackle the blaze for the first time. AFP
  • This combination of handout pictures created on August 13, 2026 shows satellite image released by Planet Labs on August 13, 2026, showing aerial views of the Po River in Boretto, northern Italy (top L) on August 8, 2023, (top R) on August 9, 2024, (bottom L) on August 9, 2025 and (bottom R) on August 8, 2026. Areas of Europe home to more than 135 million people -- particularly in France, Italy, Spain and the UK -- are set for temperatures over 35C on August 14, as the continent's latest heatwave intensifies, according to AFP calculations. Europe is the planet's fastest-warming continent and in some places is ill-equipped to deal with hot weather. Repeated heatwaves and drought have fuelled a historically hot summer of wildfires, and contributed to the deaths of thousands of people so far. AFP
    This combination of handout pictures created on August 13, 2026 shows satellite image released by Planet Labs on August 13, 2026, showing aerial views of the Po River in Boretto, northern Italy (top L) on August 8, 2023, (top R) on August 9, 2024, (bottom L) on August 9, 2025 and (bottom R) on August 8, 2026. Areas of Europe home to more than 135 million people -- particularly in France, Italy, Spain and the UK -- are set for temperatures over 35C on August 14, as the continent's latest heatwave intensifies, according to AFP calculations. Europe is the planet's fastest-warming continent and in some places is ill-equipped to deal with hot weather. Repeated heatwaves and drought have fuelled a historically hot summer of wildfires, and contributed to the deaths of thousands of people so far. AFP
  • A tourist faces he parched bed of Brenets Lake (Lac des Brenets), part of the Doubs River, a natural border between eastern France and western Switzerland, as central Europe is hit by a new heatwave, in Les Brenets. The river has dried up due to a combination of factors, including geological fissures that drain water underground, below-average rainfall and repeated heatwaves. AFP
    A tourist faces he parched bed of Brenets Lake (Lac des Brenets), part of the Doubs River, a natural border between eastern France and western Switzerland, as central Europe is hit by a new heatwave, in Les Brenets. The river has dried up due to a combination of factors, including geological fissures that drain water underground, below-average rainfall and repeated heatwaves. AFP
  • Drone shows the "Burg Pfalzgrafenstein" (Pfalzgrafenstein Castle) on an island in the dried-up river Rhine in Kaub, western Germany. As a heat wave dries Germany's rivers, government ministers are at odds over what to do about it -- re-engineer the waterways or restore them to their natural state. The debate has flared as precariously falling water levels have revealed vast sandbanks on the Rhine, Danube, Elbe and other rivers, severely impacting cargo shipping crucial for many industries. With climate change driving new heat records and longer dry spells in Europe and beyond, scientists warn that the problem will intensify in coming years. AFP
    Drone shows the "Burg Pfalzgrafenstein" (Pfalzgrafenstein Castle) on an island in the dried-up river Rhine in Kaub, western Germany. As a heat wave dries Germany's rivers, government ministers are at odds over what to do about it -- re-engineer the waterways or restore them to their natural state. The debate has flared as precariously falling water levels have revealed vast sandbanks on the Rhine, Danube, Elbe and other rivers, severely impacting cargo shipping crucial for many industries. With climate change driving new heat records and longer dry spells in Europe and beyond, scientists warn that the problem will intensify in coming years. AFP
  • Wild horses on the Kruzi plateau near Livno, Bosnia and Herzegovina, drink water brought by residents as prolonged drought and high temperatures have dried up natural watering holes. Reuters
    Wild horses on the Kruzi plateau near Livno, Bosnia and Herzegovina, drink water brought by residents as prolonged drought and high temperatures have dried up natural watering holes. Reuters
  • People evacuates on small boats during a wildfire as a plume of smoke rise into the sky near the village of Siviri, northern Greece. A fleet of small boats evacuated hundreds of tourists from beaches in northern Greece as a forest fire bore down on two popular resorts. Water bombing planes and helicopters and almost 150 firefighters battled the flames spreading across the Halkidiki peninsula, south of the city of Thessaloniki, the fire service said. AFP
    People evacuates on small boats during a wildfire as a plume of smoke rise into the sky near the village of Siviri, northern Greece. A fleet of small boats evacuated hundreds of tourists from beaches in northern Greece as a forest fire bore down on two popular resorts. Water bombing planes and helicopters and almost 150 firefighters battled the flames spreading across the Halkidiki peninsula, south of the city of Thessaloniki, the fire service said. AFP
  • This photograph shows a wildfire burning trees and grass in Sagana in the territory of Monreale, Sicily. AFP
    This photograph shows a wildfire burning trees and grass in Sagana in the territory of Monreale, Sicily. AFP
  • A drone view shows water levels recede at Ardingly Reservoir after Britain’s Environment Agency declared the East Midlands, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Kent, East Sussex, Solent and South Downs regions in drought during the fifth heatwave of the year, near Ardingly, south‑east Britain, August 12, 2026. REUTERS / Carlos Jasso TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
    A drone view shows water levels recede at Ardingly Reservoir after Britain’s Environment Agency declared the East Midlands, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Kent, East Sussex, Solent and South Downs regions in drought during the fifth heatwave of the year, near Ardingly, south‑east Britain, August 12, 2026. REUTERS / Carlos Jasso TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY