Heatwave: Ferocious European heat heads north

By Malu Cursino

BBC News

Firefighters work to contain a tactical fire in Louchats, as wildfires continue to spread in the Gironde region of southwestern France, July 17

IMAGE SOURCE,REUTERS

Fires in the south of France have ravaged more than 15,000 hectares (37,066 acres) of forests since 12 July

Western Europe faces more sweltering temperatures on Tuesday as a ferocious heatwave heads north.

In France and the UK extreme heat warnings were issued while northern Spain recorded temperatures of 43C (109F) on Monday.

Wildfires in France, Portugal, Spain and Greece have forced thousands of people to evacuate their homes.

The UK is expected to see its hottest day ever and experts say parts of France face a "heat apocalypse".

Several parts of France saw their hottest-ever days with the western city of Nantes recording 42C, the national weather office said.

Wildfires in recent days have forced more than 30,000 people to flee, with emergency shelters set up for evacuees.

Gironde, a popular tourist region in the southwest, has been hit particularly badly, with firefighters battling to control blazes which have destroyed over 15,000 hectares (37,066 acres) of land since last Tuesday.

"The idea that comes into my head is, it's a monster," Jean-Luc Gleyze, the president of the Gironde region said of the fires.

"It's a monster like an octopus, and it's growing and growing and growing in the front, in the back, on both sides. Because of the temperature, because of the wind, because of the lack of water in the air... it's a monster and it's very difficult to fight against it."

The UK had one of its hottest days on record on Monday, with a high of 38.1C recorded in Suffolk, in eastern England. Forecasters say Tuesday could see a top of 40C, which would be the highest temperature ever recorded in the country.

There were severe travel disruptions with trains cancelled and flights at London's Luton Airport suspended when part of the runway buckled under the searing heat.

On Monday, the Netherlands recorded its hottest day of the year so far. In the south-western town of Westdorpe, temperatures reached 33.6C.

And it is expected to be hotter on Tuesday, with temperatures forecast to top 39C in southern and central regions of the Netherlands.

Forecasters say the heatwave is heading north, with Belgium, Germany and Italy expected to see temperatures around 40C in the coming days.

In Spain and Portugal, more than 1,000 deaths have been attributed to the heat in recent days.

Temperatures in Portugal hit 47C on Thursday - a record for July. Most of the country has been placed under high fire danger by the national meteorological office IPMA.

Local media reports that 300 people from the northern Murça municipality have been evacuated due to the fire danger - authorities are anxious to avoid a repeat of 2017, when 66 people were killed in wildfires.

In Spain, at least twenty fires are burning out of control. A passenger filmed the moment the train he was travelling on came to a temporary halt - as fires raged on both sides of the carriage near the northern border with Portugal.

Heatwaves have become more frequent, more intense, and last longer because of human-induced climate change. The world has already warmed by about 1.1C since the industrial era began and temperatures will keep rising unless governments around the world make steep cuts to emissions.

Europe swelters as heatwave spreads

A woman fills a bottle of water during a heatwave in Seville on July 12, 2022

IMAGE SOURCE,GETTY IMAGES

Soaring temperatures have gripped parts of Europe, which has barely recovered from its last heatwave.

Droughts and forest fires have hit Spain and Portugal and the scorching heat has spread to France and the UK.

Temperatures are set to peak on Thursday in France and Spain and authorities have cancelled traditional fireworks displays on France's national day to reduce the risk of fires.

Heatwaves have become more frequent, more intense, and longer-lasting because of climate change. The world has already warmed by about 1.1C since the industrial era began.

This is the picture as seen by our BBC colleagues sweltering on the continent.

Extreme heat in northern Spain

By Guy Hedgecoe, Madrid

The heat sweeping across Spain is unusual in that it is affecting almost the whole of the country.

High temperatures are often registered in the summer months, particularly in southern and central areas of the country.

That is certainly the case during this heatwave, with Andalusia, Castilla La Mancha and Extremadura all seeing temperatures in the low 40s Celsius so far this week. However, northern Spain, which usually avoids extreme temperatures, is also being hit, with the north-western region of Galicia on red alert - the highest category - as it braces itself for temperatures of up to 42C in the Miño valley.

Temperatures are expected to keep rising in many areas over the next two days. The north-eastern city of Zaragoza is forecast to see temperatures of up to 42C, while Badajoz, in the south-west, could register up to 47C on Thursday.

Air quality is poor in many areas across the north because of the heat. That adds to existing health concerns caused by the hot weather, which mean that the streets of towns and villages tend to be much quieter in the afternoon.

With the heatwave expected to continue into the weekend, it could break records in terms of length if it goes on into next week.

Soaring temperatures across Portugal

By Alison Roberts, Lisbon

An unprecedented 80% of mainland Portugal is at "exceptional" risk of fires, according to national meteorological institute IPMA.

The government has put the whole of the mainland under a "state of contingency" until Friday - one notch above "state of alert" and the second-highest of three levels.

That triggers local, regional and national responses, putting police and other forces at the ready, and releasing funds to hire more firefighters.

On Tuesday there were 849 firefighters in action at the scene of 30 fires, only three of which were deemed not under control. That is down from well over 2,000 the day before.

Several major fires burning over the weekend have now been extinguished or brought under control, though not before consuming thousands of hectares of forest.

But conditions are expected to gradually worsen between now and Thursday, as temperatures soar and winds are seen picking up at night in some areas. The IPMA forecasts maximum temperatures as high as 47C in the coming days.

While there may be some thunderstorms, meteorologists warn that any rain may evaporate before reaching the ground.

Tourism is already being affected, even in areas as yet untouched by fires.

In the popular tourist destination of Sintra, near Lisbon, the national palaces, castle and other attractions are closed by government order.

There are also fears that a big music festival scheduled to take place from Thursday to Saturday near the beach at Meco, in Sesimbra, south of Lisbon, and a motorbike rally in the Algarve which is one of Europe's largest will have to be cancelled.

Heatwave hits Bastille Day

By Georgia Goble, Paris

Temperatures in France are set to reach 39C in some areas of the south-west in a heatwave that will last between eight and 10 days, according to Météo France.

While rising temperatures are not predicted to break records as in other European countries, there are concerns about the possible consequences.

With 23 departments placed under a yellow warning, and with orange alerts potentially coming into place from Wednesday, Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne has urged ministers to take action to minimise health risks, especially for vulnerable groups.

A health plan has also been rolled out by the government in all areas on alert. Meanwhile, Thursday's 14 July Bastille Day will be somewhat less colourful, with fire risks leading to the cancellation of firework displays in some areas of the country.