Story perspectives

July 2026 Record Heat Affects 900 Million, Sparks Wildfires

8/11/2026

Summary

Story summary

July 2026 was the hottest month on record, affecting roughly 900 million people.
In France, July 2026 was 3.8 °C above normal, sparking a 42,000-ha wildfire and evacuating 220,000 people.
Nearly 120 million Europeans, mainly in southern Britain, western France and northern/eastern Spain, endured the warmest July.
About 400 million Africans in the Sahel and 110 million Central Americans broke July temperature records, raising food-security concerns for up to 16 million people by 2027.

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Story summary

July 2026 was the hottest month on record, affecting roughly 900 million people.
In France, July 2026 was 3.8 °C above normal, sparking a 42,000-ha wildfire and evacuating 220,000 people.
Nearly 120 million Europeans, mainly in southern Britain, western France and northern/eastern Spain, endured the warmest July.
About 400 million Africans in the Sahel and 110 million Central Americans broke July temperature records, raising food-security concerns for up to 16 million people by 2027.