Germany's drought escalates amid Europe-wide heatwave and wildfires

Germany is experiencing an extreme drought in summer 2026, with river flows at their lowest levels since 1900 and record low water in the Rhine and Danube, disrupting navigation. The prolonged dry spell, driven by a high‑pressure block over Central Europe, has left soils bone‑dry, promoting rapid evaporation of any rain and intensifying heat. Temperatures across southern and western Germany are expected to reach 32‑38 °C, with some areas already reporting 40 °C. Crops suffer: wheat and other cereals face a loss of about 1.4 million tonnes, and vineyards report sun‑burned grapes, reducing wine quality.

Simultaneously, a severe heatwave fuels large forest fires across Southern Europe. In the Var department of France, a blaze north‑east of Marseille has burned more than 2 500 ha, prompting the deployment of 1 100 firefighters, 350 vehicles and aerial units; around 500 residents were evacuated, 30‑40 buildings were damaged and two firefighters died near Bordeaux. Strong Scirocco winds from Africa are driving similar fires in Sicily, Sardinia, Spain and Italy, where thousands have lost water supplies and many homes have been evacuated. The combined heat and fire threat underscores a continent‑wide climate emergency affecting agriculture, water resources, public safety and transport.