Europe’s hot, dry summer takes its toll with fires in France and Greece, and drought in the UK

Water-dropping planes swooped over a major wildfire west of Athens Monday, a day after a midair collision between two firefighting helicopters killed two crew members.

Europe is grappling with a record-breaking hot and dry summer

A record-breaking hot and dry summer tightened its grip on Europe Monday, as water-dropping planes swooped over a major wildfire in Greece, firefighters in France sought to stabilize a blaze in Provence and much of the U.K. recorded its driest July in nearly two centuries.

For Greece, the danger carried grim resonance: a 2018 wildfire​ at the seaside community of Mati​, near Athens, killed 104 people.

A wildfire in Provence continues spreading despite emergency services keeping it from nearby towns. Meanwhile, 400 firefighters battle winds-fueled fires threatening a coastal resort in Greece.