Western Europe sees hottest June ever as blazes, heat intensify

Western Europe has experienced its hottest June on record, with climate scientists warning that rising global temperatures are fueling increasingly severe heatwaves, devastating wildfires, and mounting risks to public health and infrastructure, The Guardian reports.

According to the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service, surface air temperatures across Western Europe averaged 3.06 degrees Celsius above the recent historical norm during June. Globally, June 2026 ranked as the second-warmest June on record, with temperatures 0.56C above the 1991–2020 average and 1.39C above pre-industrial levels. The world's oceans also reached their highest June temperatures on record.

"Together, these records reflect a climate system continuing to accumulate heat," said Samantha Burgess, a climate scientist at Copernicus. "The result is increasingly intense heatwaves, a persistently warm ocean, and growing risks for people, ecosystems and infrastructure."

The UK has entered its third heatwave of the year, while prolonged hot and dry conditions have fueled major wildfires across southern Europe. Data released this week showed EU wildfires have burned 56% more land than average. In France, more than 35,400 hectares have been destroyed—roughly four times the seasonal average—while fires in Spain have scorched 55,128 hectares, about twice the norm.

Barcelona recorded a new temperature record of 40.5C, while a 22-year-old French firefighter died battling a wildfire in the Alps.

In Britain, temperatures are forecast to reach 34C, with the Met Office warning that unusually warm nights have contributed to the country's highest average June nighttime temperatures on record. A recent poll found that two-thirds of Britons struggled to sleep during the heatwave.

"To see temperatures like this in the UK in June is sobering," said Stephen Belcher, the Met Office's chief scientist. "Events like this bring home the implications of climate change."

The UK's National Fire Chiefs Council urged the public to exercise caution outdoors as wildfire risks remain elevated.

"Most wildfires start because something provides the spark: a disposable barbecue left behind, a discarded cigarette or even a glass bottle left in the sunshine," said Dave Swallow, a tactical adviser at the council. "We all have a role to play in preventing them."

The World Health Organization estimates that 200,000 people have died from heat-related causes in Europe over the past four years, with most deaths considered preventable. Experts continue to call for stronger climate adaptation measures, including expanding urban tree cover, improving cooling infrastructure, and strengthening healthcare systems.

New analysis by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit found that UK cities remain significantly less shaded than their European counterparts, with average urban tree cover standing at 18%, compared with roughly 30% across Europe.

"The UK is way behind," said Tom Cantillon, an analyst at the organization, noting that greater tree cover can significantly reduce temperatures and protect vulnerable communities during extreme heat.

By Vafa Guliyeva