A global heat wave is fueling wildfires from South America to the Arctic Circle. Research links climate change to heatwaves and drought both of which are important catalysts for wildfires.
As reported by the BBC a recent study suggests that climate change has made heat waves more than twice as likely in Europe. The research concludes that the European heatwave of 2003 was 500% more likely due to climate change and the so-called "Lucifer" heatwave in Eastern Europe was made 10 times more likely by climate change. Studies show how heat and drought make vegetation and trees more combustible. We are even able to link some fires -- like the Canadian wildfires of 2016 -- directly to climate change.
The summer of 2018 is on track to be one of the hottest on record and this has spawned an anomalous number of wildfires. July was the hottest months in one of the hottest years ever recorded. Early in July it was becoming apparent that this was going to be a devastating year for wildfires.