Symbolic imageBritain's hottest day of 2026 as fire empties Greek beaches
Britain recorded 38.1C on Thursday, its hottest day of 2026, while a wind-driven forest fire forced more than 250 people off beaches in northern Greece.
The fire broke out on Thursday afternoon, 13 August, in Halkidiki and reached homes at the resorts of Siviri and Fourka within hours. Public broadcaster ERT reported that 15 small boats took holidaymakers, many still in bathing costumes, off the beaches; two firefighters were hospitalised. Greece counted 40 fires in 24 hours, nine still uncontrolled late on Thursday, and forecast winds of up to 100 km/h for Friday.
England's grassfires, France's 17th day
The reading was taken at Kew Gardens in London; in the West Midlands a grassfire set several homes alight and two people were treated. France's heatwave reached its 17th day, its third-longest on record.
German farmers warn of total losses
The German Farmers' Association said on Friday that wheat and rapeseed will fall below average and that potatoes, sugar beet, maize and soya in the south could fail entirely, with no fodder regrowing. It wants EU fertiliser aid raised from 60 to 180 million euros and a diesel tax cut.
Rheingau picks early
Growers there expect the main Riesling harvest to begin in early September and the vintage to be in before October, after a July at the Geisenheim station that averaged 22.8C with 4.9 litres of rain per square metre.
Other opinions
Indian and US reports covered only Britain's heat and omitted the Greek fires; Turkey's Daily Sabah ran the same AFP account of the evacuation as Le Monde.