APTOPIX Britain Extreme Weather Heat

Firefighters are tackling multiple fires in central England on a day that the U.K. recorded its hottest day of the year as an intense stretch of hot weather continued to grip Europe. Thursday's fire outbreak across the West Midlands, which saw several houses burned to the ground, have been “one of the most significant” incidents the region’s fire service has ever dealt with, chief fire officer Simon Tuhill said. A child and three firefighters were taken to hospital following the wildfire in Stourbridge. The fires, the cause of which remains to be determined and which could take days to put out, came on a day the mercury struck 38.1 degrees Celsius (100.6 degrees Fahrenheit) in west London.

Firefighters across Europe are battling multiple wildfires as a record-breaking heat wave grips the continent. In France, the driest year on record has led to fires in the Landes region, forcing over 500 people to evacuate. Fires are also burning in Germany, where unexploded WWII munitions complicate efforts, and in Croatia, where 14 people are hospitalized. The UK experienced its hottest day of the year, with wildfires destroying homes in the West Midlands. Albania and Greece are also facing significant fires, with evacuations underway. The extreme heat is linked to climate change, affecting regions unprepared for such temperatures.