France Scorched by Early Wildfires and Record Heat as Europe Swelters
Firefighters were battling wildfires in Turkey and France on Monday as a powerful heat wave triggered early-season blazes across parts of Europe, prompting multiple countries to issue warnings over soaring temperatures.
In Turkey, forest fires continued for a second day in the western province of Izmir, fueled by strong winds, according to Minister of Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı. Authorities were forced to evacuate four villages and two neighborhoods in the city.
Turkey’s coastal regions have suffered from recurring summer wildfires in recent years, driven by rising temperatures and prolonged droughts. Scientists attribute these increasingly frequent events to human-induced climate change.
In France, where temperatures are expected to peak on Tuesday and Wednesday, wildfires broke out on Sunday in the southwestern department of Aude. With temperatures surpassing 40°C, the fires scorched around 400 hectares, prompting the evacuation of a campsite and a monastery, local authorities reported.
France’s national weather agency issued an orange-level heat wave warning—a record level—covering 84 out of the country’s 101 departments from Monday through midweek. The Ministry of Education announced that around 200 schools would close partially or entirely over the next three days due to the extreme heat.
The heat wave arrived early in Europe, with temperatures exceeding 40°C in several countries
Record-Breaking Heat Wave Hits Europe Early
Across Europe, the heat wave struck earlier than usual this year, with temperatures already exceeding 40°C in several countries.
In Spain, the national meteorological agency confirmed the country is on track to record its highest-ever June temperature, with the heat wave expected to peak on Monday.
"For at least the next few days, until Thursday, extreme heat will persist across most of Spain," said Rubén del Campo, a spokesperson for the national weather agency.
In Seville, southern Spain—where world leaders were gathered for a United Nations conference—temperatures were forecast to reach 42°C.
Meanwhile, in Italy, the Ministry of Health issued red alerts for heat in 16 cities. On Monday, temperatures were expected to reach 41°C in Florence, 38°C in Bologna, and 37°C in Perugia.
Lombardy, a key industrial region in northern Italy, announced plans to ban outdoor work during the hottest hours of the day following a request by labor unions, according to the regional president.
In the Netherlands—typically cooler than much of continental Europe—the Royal Meteorological Institute warned that temperatures could range between 35°C and 40°C in some areas in the coming days, with high humidity levels worsening the heat.
Germany also issued heat warnings for large swathes of its western and southwestern regions on Monday, with temperatures reaching up to 34°C. Authorities urged consumers to limit water usage. Temperatures are expected to peak by midweek.
The heat wave has already caused water levels in the Rhine River to drop, hindering shipping traffic and driving up transport costs for cargo owners, according to commodity traders. Energy prices in both Germany and France have also surged, as demand for cooling increases.
Earlier this month, reinsurance company Swiss Re reported that extreme heat kills up to 480,000 people annually around the world—more than the combined death tolls from floods, earthquakes, and hurricanes. It also poses growing risks to infrastructure, economies, and healthcare systems.
The EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service also reported this month that global land surface temperatures last month were, on average, 1.4°C higher than in the pre-industrial era—when humans began burning fossil fuels at scale.
Scientists widely agree that greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel combustion are the main driver of climate change. Last year was the hottest ever recorded on Earth.
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