10/08/2026
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Earth observation satellites help us monitor phenomena such as wildfires, drought and heatwaves from space. This page is updated on a regular basis with a selection of ESA’s most recent news-related images showing how the effects of climate change are impacting our world.
Extreme heat has become increasingly frequent and intense in Europe and across the globe. The Copernicus Climate Change Service reported exceptional temperatures: June 2026 was the second-warmest June globally, while Western Europe experienced its warmest June on record.
While fires can be sparked by human carelessness, such as a discarded cigarette, or by natural causes such as lightning, the high temperatures, combined with a lack of rain and soil moisture, together with strong wind, have sadly provided optimal environments for wildfires.
All the phenomena mentioned on this page are closely linked to climate change. It is estimated that up to 35% of greenhouse gases are created by the burning of the organic matter in forests, scrubland and grassland, while persistent dry conditions are related to reduced precipitation and river flow. Monitoring and detecting these interconnected phenomena from space plays an important role in how we understand climate.
See a selection of ESA’s most recent news-related images in the carousel below.
Emergency response, supported from space
Since 1 May 2026, the Copernicus Emergency Management Service (CEMS) has been activated more than 30 times to provide data and images on wildfires in Croatia, France, Germany, Greece, Greenland, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Tunisia and the UK.
As the season of extreme heat continues, combined with dry conditions on the ground, satellites are providing timely data through the CEMS.
Missions such as Copernicus Sentinel-2 capture high-resolution images in 13 spectral bands, making it a useful tool for monitoring vegetation in true colour as well as gathering infrared data, which shows areas of heat.
Copernicus Sentinel-3 also provides useful and timely data over both land and sea. Its Ocean Land and Colour Instrument (OLCI) captures data over a swath of 1270 km, and the mission’s Sea and Land Surface Temperature Radiometer (SLSTR) is a powerful and highly accurate sensor that measures land and ocean temperatures.
Copernicus Sentinel-5P measures trace gases and aerosols, which are emitted in large quantities by wildfires and affect regional air quality.
ESA’s EarthCARE is also able to highlight active wildfires and smoke plumes with its multispectral imager, while its advanced lidar can be used to characterise emissions such as smoke.