Heatwave sees temperatures soar in Europe as officials warn of wildfire risk

A man cools-off at a drinking fountain in Turin, Italy. Picture: Alberto Gandolfo/LaPresse via AP

People flocked to parks and pools across Western Europe on Saturday for a bit of respite from an early heat wave that saw the mercury rise above 40 degrees in France and Spain.

In Germany, which saw highs of 38 degrees this afternoon, the health minister urged vulnerable groups to stay hydrated.

“Heat and too little fluids can be deadly for older people,” Karl Lauterbach tweeted. 

Bitte achten Sie darauf, dass gerade ältere Menschen heute genug trinken. Sie empfinden oft weniger Durst als für ihren Körper gut wäre. Hitze und wenig Flüssigkeit können für Ältere tödliche Folgen haben. Heute sind wir gefragt, auch auf Ältere und behinderte Menschen zu achten https://t.co/L89sj6CjvW

— Prof. Karl Lauterbach (@Karl_Lauterbach) June 18, 2022

“We need to keep an eye on the elderly and those with disabilities today.” 

Wildfire risk

A woman on a bicycle cools off in Bayonne, southwestern France. Picture: AP Photo/Bob Edme

Meanwhile, officials warned of wildfires across the western Mediterranean region as high temperatures and a long dry spell made for combustible conditions.

The European Commission’s Copernicus Emergency Management Service said the fire risk was “extreme” and “very extreme” in much of Spain, the Rhone river valley in France, Sardinia, Sicily and parts of mainland Italy.

The 27-nation bloc has put 12 firefighting planes and a helicopter on standby to assist countries struggling with major blazes this summer.

Meteorologists in France described the situation as “really exceptional” and predicted temperatures in France to hit a peak of 43 degrees before thunderstorms bring cooler weather in from the Atlantic.

Experts say the early heatwave is a sign of what’s to come as climate change makes extreme temperatures normally seen only in July and August more likely in June too.

- Associated Press