A life-threatening heat wave has gripped Southern Europe, fueling devastating wildfires and forcing thousands of evacuations. Temperatures soared above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in some areas, with Spain, Greece, France, Portugal, and Italy struggling to combat the blazes.
Thousands of soldiers have been deployed in Spain to fight fires, while Greece has sent nearly 5,000 firefighters and aircraft to tackle multiple blazes. In France, a wildfire killed one person and injured several others, including firefighters, on Monday. Temperatures in Bordeaux reached 41.6 degrees Celsius (107 degrees Fahrenheit), the highest ever recorded.
Portugal’s government sought assistance from Morocco to fight wildfires, while Italy placed 16 cities under the highest heat alert due to temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius expected later in the week. Britain’s U.K. Health Security Agency issued amber heat health alerts for central and southern England and Wales.
The heat wave is forecast to continue through Monday before dropping, but still remaining high in some areas. Temperatures are expected to rise again on Friday and Saturday, particularly in southwest France. The situation remains dire, with thousands of people evacuated due to wildfires, and health officials warning of the dangers of extreme temperatures.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/12/world/europe/heat-wave-europe-france-spain-fires.html