A heat wave covered much of Europe on Monday, June 30, as high winds fanned forest fires in Türkiye.
Heat warnings were issued for parts of Spain, Portugal, Italy, Germany and the United Kingdom. New highs are expected on Wednesday, July 2, before rain brings respite to some areas.
“Extreme heat is no longer a rare event — it has become the new normal,” United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said in a post on X from Seville, Spain, where temperatures hit 42°C (108°F). He called for action to fight climate change, saying “the planet is getting hotter & more dangerous.”
Scientists say the leading cause of climate breakdown is greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels. Last year was the planet's hottest on record.
Here’s how the heat wave is affecting certain countries in Europe.
Portuguese authorities issued a red heat warning for seven of 18 districts as temperatures were forecast to hit 43°C (109°F).
Spain’s national weather service said no relief from the first heat wave of the year is expected until Thursday, July 3. Sunday’s national average of 28°C (82°F) set a new high temperature for June 29 since records were started in 1950.
In France, where air conditioning remains relatively rare, authorities made extra efforts to care for the homeless and elderly people. Misting stations doused passers-by along the River Seine in Paris.
France’s first significant forest fires of the season consumed 400 hectares (988 acres) of woods Sunday, June 29, and Monday in the southern Aude region. Water-dumping planes and some 300 firefighters were mobilised, the regional emergency service said.
Forest fires forced the temporary closure of the airport in İzmir. More than 50,000 people have been evacuated from five regions, including more than 42,000 in İzmir, Türkiye's AFAD emergency management authority said.
Firefighters battled a blaze that broke out Monday near residential areas in Hatay province, near the border with Syria, that prompted 1,500 people to evacuate.
Türkiye’s coastal regions have in recent years been ravaged by wildfires as summers have become hotter and drier, which scientists say is a result of human-induced climate breakdown.
In Italy, the Health Ministry put 21 cities under its “red” alert, which indicates “emergency conditions with possible negative effects” on healthy, active people and others. Regional governments in northwestern Liguria and southern Sicily put restrictions on outdoor work.
There were torrential rains in the north, and parts of Bardonecchia near Turin were covered in sludge after the Frejus River burst its banks.
Britain’s national weather service said the Wimbledon tennis tournament was facing what could be its hottest start, with temperatures just under 30°C (85°F). Tournament rules allow players to take a 10-minute break when the heat exceeds 30.1°C mid-match.
In Germany too, heat warnings were in place across large parts of western and southwestern regions on Monday, where temperatures climbed to up to 34°C. Authorities appealed to consumers to limit their use of water.
The heat wave has lowered water levels on the Rhine River, hampering shipping and raising freight costs for cargo owners, commodity traders said.
Greece was again on high wildfire alert because of extreme weather, with the first summer heat wave expected to continue throughout the coming weekend.
A large wildfire broke out south of Athens on Thursday, June 26, forcing evacuations and road closures near the ancient Temple of Poseidon. Strong winds spread the flames, damaging homes and sending smoke across the sky.
Greek authorities deployed 130 firefighters, 12 planes and 12 helicopters to battle the blaze, while police evacuated 40 people, with five areas under evacuation orders.
The heat will remain entrenched throughout the week in much of Europe. The hottest temperatures relative to normal—some 10°C to 15°C above average—will shift east over the coming days. A huge chunk of France will face record and near-record temperatures at or above 38°C on Tuesday, July 1, as the heat wave peaks there. Similar temperatures compared to normal will also overtake Germany and Italy through midweek.
Mid- to late week, the first of several cold fronts should push the hottest conditions southward, with the highest temperatures stretching from Eastern Europe through the Mediterranean region and to the Iberian Peninsula by Friday, July 4, through the weekend.
(With inputs from multiple news reports)