Much of Europe is bracing for yet another scorching heatwave, adding to a summer already marked by record-breaking temperatures, worsening drought, and major wildfires. Parts of Britain and France face extreme heat warnings with forecasts in the mid-30s Celsius, while Greece reported a second wildfire near Athens this week, dispatching hundreds of firefighters. More than 10,000 hectares of pine forest have already burned northwest of the Greek capital. Heat and drought are also driving European rivers to record lows: Germany's Rhine could become unnavigable, while Hungary came close to a forced shutdown of a nuclear plant overnight as Danube water levels dropped critically low. Nearly 120 million Europeans experienced their hottest July on record, according to Copernicus climate data, and nearly three-quarters of England is officially in drought, with more than 27 million people under water-use restrictions. Disclosure: This video contains stock footage and content created or enhanced using AI-assisted tools. ai-generated WooGlobe Ref : WGA947631
Boats sit stranded in mud as low water exposes the bottom of a side arm of the Danube river during a heatwave near Orth an der Donau, Austria, August 6, 2026. REUTERS/Christian Bruna
Heat-damaged tomatoes with blossom-end rot are seen Sunday in the greenhouse of organic vegetable farmers Barbara Stemberger and Fritz Hummer in Leonding, Austria.
Lisa Leutner, REUTERS
People enjoy at the beach during a heat wave Aug. 4 in Herceg Novi, Montenegro.
Stevo Vasiljevic, REUTERS
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Boats sit stranded in mud as low water exposes the bottom of a side arm of the Danube river during a heatwave near Orth an der Donau, Austria, August 6, 2026. REUTERS/Christian Bruna
Heat-damaged tomatoes with blossom-end rot are seen Sunday in the greenhouse of organic vegetable farmers Barbara Stemberger and Fritz Hummer in Leonding, Austria.
