Record high temperatures are expected in France and the United Kingdom today, reaching up to 40 degrees Celsius, as a heat wave has dominated Western Europe for days. This Monday could be the hottest day in French history as maximum temperatures across all regions will exceed 30 degrees Celsius, ranging between 38 and 40 degrees in much of the country. The meteorological agency "Météo France" warned that "the heat is intensifying and the heatwave is spreading throughout the country," expecting to record levels especially in the west and southwest. It was clarified that "in some areas of the southwest, temperatures may reach" 44 degrees Celsius on Monday, followed by "a very hot night."
The heatwave, the 45th to hit France since 1947, will peak on the Atlantic front of the country, particularly in Brittany, which had until now been protected. This heat wave is also expected to coincide with record levels of air pollution, with a forecasted increase in ozone concentration, particularly in the Atlantic region and southeastern France, according to the national air quality forecasting platform "Prev'Air."
In the United Kingdom, the meteorological agency issued its first "red" warning regarding extreme heat, indicating that there is a "risk to life." Temperatures could surpass 40 degrees Celsius in southern England for the first time on Monday and Tuesday, according to warnings from "Met Office." The British government was accused of neglecting the situation after outgoing Prime Minister Boris Johnson missed a crisis meeting on the matter while Justice Secretary Dominic Raab seemed to welcome the forecast of temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius in England for the first time.
The heatwave, which first affected Spain, has already caused fatalities. A man in his fifties died on Sunday due to the heat, with his body temperature exceeding 40 degrees Celsius in Torrejón de Ardoz near Madrid, according to emergency services. A cleaning worker in Madrid in his sixties also died the same way on Saturday. On Sunday, temperatures reached 39 degrees Celsius in Madrid, 39.7 in Seville in the south, and 43.4 in Don Benito near Badajoz in the west.
This heatwave is the second recorded in Europe within a month. Scientists attribute the increase in such phenomena to the direct impacts of climate change, as greenhouse gas emissions amplify their intensity, duration, and frequency. This has led to forest fires, with several rescue and firefighting personnel losing their lives, the most recent being a firefighter who died from burns received in the province of Zamora in northwestern Spain. In France, Portugal, Spain, and Greece, fires have ravaged thousands of hectares of forest, prompting many residents and tourists to evacuate their homes.
The situation is critical in southwestern France. On Sunday evening, a wildfire that has ravaged 13 hectares in Bordeaux over six days intensified due to swirling winds, leading to new evacuations. Fire crews reported that 16,200 holidaymakers had to leave urgently since last Tuesday. In Spain, about 20 wildfires remain raging and out of control in various regions from the south to the extreme northwest in Galicia.
Portugal experienced a quiet day as for the first time since July 8, temperatures did not exceed 40 degrees Celsius on Sunday, according to the meteorological agency, after reaching a record-breaking 47 degrees Celsius on Thursday. However, much of Portugal was under "extreme," "very high," or "high" risk of wildfires, particularly in central and northern regions. The wildfires from last week resulted in two fatalities and 60 injuries, affecting 12,000 to 15,000 hectares. In the Netherlands, the Dutch Institute for Public Health and the Environment announced a national plan to combat the heat and warned of smog starting Monday across all regions, forecasting a temperature rise in the coming days that could reach 35 degrees Celsius on Monday in the south and 38 degrees Celsius in some regions on Tuesday.
