Czechia faces wildfire risk nationwide as drought and heat continue

The risk of wildfires has spread across all of Czechia due to continuing drought and hot weather, the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute warned on Thursday. The risk is expected to increase over the weekend as winds strengthen.

The warning remains in place until further notice, with temperatures expected to exceed 32 degrees Celsius across most of the country. Meteorologists say this year is among the driest since records began in 1961, with rainfall so far at just 66 percent of the 1991–2020 average.

Some rain could arrive in the form of thunderstorms on Sunday, mainly in Bohemia, with further showers and storms expected next week. Temperatures should also fall.