France and England battle multiple wildfires as record heat grips Europe

France and England battle multiple wildfires as record heat grips Europe 1 of 5 | Tourists remained undeterred by the heat in Paris on Thursday as France entered the peak of its fifth heat wave of the summer. 2 of 5 | A person holds an umbrella and walks through dry grass at Stonehenge in Wiltshire, England, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung) 3 of 5 | A woman splashes water on her face at a public fountain on a hot day in Bordeaux, France, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026, as a heatwave affects much of the country. (AP Photo/Caroline Blumberg) 4 of 5 | A safety signage to avoid fires is seen at Baitings reservoir near Sowerby Bridge as water levels drop throught the country, in Sowerby Bridge, England, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Super) 5 of 5 | A pharmacy sign displays a temperature of 37 degrees Celsius (98.6 degrees Fahrenheit) in Bordeaux, France, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026, as a heatwave affects much of the country. (AP Photo/Caroline Blumberg) 1 of 5 Tourists remained undeterred by the heat in Paris on Thursday as France entered the peak of its fifth heat wave of the summer. Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 2 of 5 | A person holds an umbrella and walks through dry grass at Stonehenge in Wiltshire, England, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung) 2 of 5 A person holds an umbrella and walks through dry grass at Stonehenge in Wiltshire, England, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 3 of 5 | A woman splashes water on her face at a public fountain on a hot day in Bordeaux, France, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026, as a heatwave affects much of the country. (AP Photo/Caroline Blumberg) 3 of 5 A woman splashes water on her face at a public fountain on a hot day in Bordeaux, France, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026, as a heatwave affects much of the country. (AP Photo/Caroline Blumberg) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 4 of 5 | A safety signage to avoid fires is seen at Baitings reservoir near Sowerby Bridge as water levels drop throught the country, in Sowerby Bridge, England, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Super) 4 of 5 A safety signage to avoid fires is seen at Baitings reservoir near Sowerby Bridge as water levels drop throught the country, in Sowerby Bridge, England, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Super) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 5 of 5 | A pharmacy sign displays a temperature of 37 degrees Celsius (98.6 degrees Fahrenheit) in Bordeaux, France, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026, as a heatwave affects much of the country. (AP Photo/Caroline Blumberg) 5 of 5 A pharmacy sign displays a temperature of 37 degrees Celsius (98.6 degrees Fahrenheit) in Bordeaux, France, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026, as a heatwave affects much of the country. (AP Photo/Caroline Blumberg) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Paris (AP) — Firefighters across France and in central England struggled against multiple fires Friday as a new wave of record-breaking heat baked a swath of Europe, their task further complicated by exceptionally parched landscapes.With France experiencing its driest year ever, a new fire raced through woodlands overnight in the Landes region on the southwest coast. The blaze forced more than 500 people to evacuate their homes in the town of Luglon as hundreds of firefighters deployed to the area, the regional administration said Friday.It’s one of several fires scorching forests around France this week, including in normally cooler and wetter regions in the north and Brittany. A historic fire devoured forests near Bordeaux last month and pushed a quarter of a million people from their homes.After the U.K. recorded its hottest day of the year, wildfires raced across the West Midlands and saw several houses burned to the ground. They have been “one of the most significant” incidents the region’s fire service has ever dealt with, chief fire officer Simon Tuhill said. Some 1,017 wildfires have been recorded in England and Wales this year, according to data from the National Fire Chiefs Council.The fires came on the hottest day of the year, when temperatures reached 38.1 degrees Celsius (100.6 degrees Fahrenheit) in west London. 3 MIN READ 5 MIN READ 6 MIN READ In France, temperatures Thursday approached 41 C (106 F) in several areas, from Aquitaine in the southwest to the Rhone River valley in the east, according to the national weather service. They were forecast to reach similar levels Friday before dropping over the weekend. The historic temperatures are linked to human-caused climate change, and are hitting countries more designed for long cold seasons and ill-equipped for this sort of heat, with limited air conditioning. In northern Greece, more than 300 vacationers and residents were evacuated by sea Thursday after a wildfire swept through a pine forest and threatened seaside homes, authorities said.