French firefighters have been deployed to combat early summer wildfires as 84 of the country’s 101 administrative regions are placed under a heatwave warning effective tomorrow through midweek.
Fires ignited in the Corbières region of Aude in the southwest, where temperatures soared above 40C, necessitating the evacuation of a campsite and abbey as a safety measure.
The southern regions experienced highs exceeding 40C, with temperatures ranging from 35 to 38C, according to national weather service Meteo-France.
The service recorded a staggering 40.9C in Grospierres, a small town in southeastern France, 40.1C in the village of Vinsobres, and 39.9C in Cadenet, also located in the southeast.
The count of departments under orange alert—the second-highest warning level—will increase to 84 tomorrow, with temperatures anticipated to peak on Tuesday and Wednesday, reaching highs up to 41C.
Festival-goers at Les Deferlantes are being sprayed with water to cool off amidst the extreme heat in France.
An interministerial crisis meeting about the heatwave was held to evaluate all directives, particularly those concerning health, as stated by Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau in an interview with BFMTV.
Several cities have already opted to close schools for the start of the week as a precautionary measure.
The heatwave affects southern Europe, stretching from Italy to Portugal, where Lisbon and multiple regions are under red alert, with authorities urging the public to seek shelter and safeguard the most vulnerable individuals.
Emergency services standby near tourist attractions, and regions have issued fire warnings, as specialists caution that such heatwaves, exacerbated by climate change, are likely to occur more frequently.
In Spain, temperatures reached 46C in El Granado yesterday.
The heatwave is propelled by a heat dome—a robust anticyclone that holds warm air in place and obstructs cooler systems from advancing.
In Italy, 21 cities, including Milan, Naples, Venice, Florence, and Rome, are on high alert for extreme heat.
“We were supposed to be visiting the Colosseum, but my mum nearly fainted,” remarked British tourist Anna Becker, who came to Rome from a “muggy, miserable” Verona.
Hospitals across Italy have noted an increase in heatstroke cases, according to Mario Guarino, Vice President of the Italian Society of Emergency Medicine.
“We’ve observed an approximate 10% rise, primarily in cities experiencing extreme temperatures along with heightened humidity levels,” he noted.
“The majority of cases involve elderly individuals, cancer patients, or people without homes, who present symptoms of dehydration, heat stroke, and fatigue,” he added.
People are cooling off under water fountains in the Madrid Rio recreational area.
‘Climate shelters’
Hospitals like the Ospedale dei Colli in Naples have established special pathways for heatstroke patients to ensure prompt access to essential treatments such as cold water immersion, according to Mr. Guarino.
Authorities in Venice have provided free guided tours in air-conditioned museums and public spaces for individuals aged 75 and older.
Bologna has set up seven “climate shelters” featuring air conditioning and drinking water, Florence has urged doctors to reach out to isolated and vulnerable individuals, Ancona is supplying dehumidifiers to those in need, and Rome offers free access to city swimming pools for seniors over 70.
Researchers assert that climate change is fueling hotter and more severe heatwaves, especially in urban areas where the “urban heat island” effect amplifies temperatures due to densely packed buildings.
“Heatwaves in the Mediterranean region have become increasingly common and severe in recent years, with temperatures peaking at 37C or higher in cities, where the urban heat island effect further elevates temperatures,” said Emanuela Piervitali, a researcher at the Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA).
“We anticipate an ongoing rise in temperature and heat extremes, meaning we’ll have to adjust to experiencing even higher temperature peaks than those we currently see,” she concluded.
A pharmacy sign indicates a temperature of 39ºC near Praça Camoes in Lisbon.
In Portugal, various regions in the southern half of the country, including the capital Lisbon, are under a red warning for heat through tomorrow night due to “persistently extremely high maximum temperature values,” as reported by the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA).
Two-thirds of Portugal is on high alert for extreme heat and wildfires, as is Sicily, where firefighters battled 15 blazes yesterday.
Experts in France have cautioned that the heat is also significantly affecting biodiversity.
“In such oppressive heat, temperatures can exceed 40C in some nests,” stated Allain Bougrain-Dubourg, President of the League for the Protection of Birds (LPO).
“We’re receiving birds in distress from everywhere; our seven care centers are overwhelmed,” he remarked.
This extreme weather is also encouraging the proliferation of invasive species that thrive in warmer climates.
Italy’s ISPRA initiated a campaign this week urging fishermen and tourists to report sightings of four “potentially dangerous” venomous species.
The lionfish, silver-cheeked toadfish, dusky spinefoot, and marbled spinefoot are now appearing in waters off southern Italy as the Mediterranean continues to warm, the organization noted.
