Climate & Environment
France had hottest month on record, Meteo-France says
July was France's hottest month since measurements began in 1900 and its third driest July on record, Meteo-France said Tuesday.
The weather service said July surpassed earlier French heat records set during the heatwaves of August 2003 and July 2006. It said rainfall was nearly 70 percent below average, leaving soil parched and increasing the risk of wildfires.
Europe has faced successive heatwaves and a major drought this year, which scientists have attributed to human-caused climate change.
In France, tinderbox conditions worsened by heatwaves since May contributed last month to the spread of the country's largest wildfire since 1949. The fire broke out on July 22 and burned 42,000 hectares, or 104,000 acres, an area four times the size of Paris.
Update
Europe has had successive heatwaves and a major drought this year, which scientists have attributed to human-caused climate change.
Tinderbox conditions worsened by heatwaves since May contributed to the spread of France's largest wildfire since 1949.
The wildfire began on July 22 and burned 42,000 hectares, about 104,000 acres.
Source note: AFP news report published on 4 August 2026 at 09:38:13 UTC.
Update
Meteo-France said July was France's third driest July on record.
Rainfall was nearly 70 percent below average.
Meteo-France said the dry conditions left soil parched and increased wildfire risks.
The record was measured against data going back to 1900 and surpassed previous records from August 2003 and July 2006.
Source note: AFP news report published on 4 August 2026 at 09:18:50 UTC.
Source
AFP news report published on .