Year: 2026

Climate change means extreme fire seasons in Canada are here to stay

More than 3 million hectares have burned to date  (Natural Resources Canada, 2026), prompting a Level 4 National Preparedness response (GoC, 2026, ciffc). Although the season began with below-average wildfire activity, prolonged hot, dry weather through July has driven a rapid escalation in fire activity across the country  (CBC, 2026). At the time of writing, … Continue reading “Climate change means extreme fire seasons in Canada are here to stay”

Climate change increases likelihood of compounding drivers of severe wildfire conditions in France and Spain

After months of drought (WWA, 2026a) and periods of extreme heat (WWA, 2026b), Western Europe is battling widespread and intense wildfires. At the time of writing (July 30th 2026) the most severe fires are affecting southwestern France and central and eastern Spain. Firefighters in both countries have been supported by aircraft and emergency personnel deployed … Continue reading “Climate change increases likelihood of compounding drivers of severe wildfire conditions in France and Spain”

Increasingly hot Europe faces more severe droughts and growing challenges for water and land management

The European summer of 2026 has so far been characterised by exceptional heat and widespread dryness (Copernicus, 2026). Between April and June, large parts of the continent, from Portugal in the southwest to southern Finland in the northeast, received below-average rainfall. Combined with successive heatwaves, these conditions have intensified drought across Europe, contributing to widespread … Continue reading “Increasingly hot Europe faces more severe droughts and growing challenges for water and land management”

Climate change and urban pressures intensify flood risk on the Gulf of Guinea coast

Between 20–22 June, the coastal regions of the countries bordering the Gulf of Guinea, particularly Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, and Nigeria, experienced exceptionally widespread and severe flooding following intense and persistent rainfall. In several locations, more than 140 mm of rain fell within less than 24 hours, overwhelming natural drainage systems and triggering extensive flash … Continue reading “Climate change and urban pressures intensify flood risk on the Gulf of Guinea coast”

Fossil fuels are heating America’s 250th birthday  

Washington DC on a hot and humid day

A widespread heat wave is forecast to affect much of the central and eastern United States over the Fourth of July weekend, driven by a strong “heat dome”, a high pressure system sitting over the US, bringing moisture and warm air from the Gulf of Mexico  (Al Jazeera, 2026). Daytime high temperatures are expected to … Continue reading “Fossil fuels are heating America’s 250th birthday  “