A record number of heat alerts are in place across France as the country, and other parts of southern and eastern Europe, remain in the grip of soaring temperatures. Some 84 of 96 of France's mainland regions - known as departments - are currently under an orange alert - the country's second highest. France's Climate Minister Agnès Pannier-Runacher has called it an "unprecedented" situation. Heat warnings are also in place for parts of Spain, Portugal, Italy, Germany, the UK and Balkan countries including Croatia. Both Spain and Portugal had their hottest June days on record at the weekend. El Granado in Andalucía saw a temperature of 46C on Saturday, while 46.6C was recorded in the town of Mora in central Portugal on Sunday. Many countries have emergency medical services on standby and are warning people to stay inside as much as possible. Nearly 200 schools across France have been closed or partially closed as a result of the heatwave, which has gripped parts of Europe for more than a week now but is expected to peak mid-week. Education Minister Elisabeth Borne said she was working with regional authorities over the best ways to look after schoolchildren or to allow parents who can to keep their children at home. Several forest fires broke out in the southern Corbières mountain range on Sunday, leading to evacuations and the closure of a motorway. They have since been contained, fire authorities told French media on Monday. Meanwhile, 21 Italian cities are also on the highest alert - including Rome, Milan and Venice, as is Sardinia. Mario Guarino, vice president of the Italian Society of Emergency Medicine, told AFP news agency that hospital emergency departments across the country had reported a 10% increase in heatstroke cases. Parts of the UKcould see one of the hottest June days everon Monday, with temperatures of 34C or higher possible in some parts of England. Much of Spain, which is on course to record its hottest June on record, also continues to be under heat alerts. "I can't sleep well and have insomnia. I also get heat strokes, I stop eating and I just can't focus," Anabel Sanchez, 21, told Reuters news agency in Seville. It is a similar situation in Portugal, where seven districts, including the capital, Lisbon, are on t he highest alert level. Meanwhile, the German Meteorological Service has warned that temperatures could reach almost 38C on Tuesday and Wednesday - further potentially record-breaking temperatures. Countries in and around the Balkans have also been struggling with the intense heat, although temperatures have begun to cool slightly. In Turkey, firefighters continue their efforts to put out hundreds of wildfires that have broken out in recent days. A fire in the Seferihisar district, 50km (30 miles) south-west of the resort city of Izmir, is being fuelled by winds and has already destroyed around 20 homes and some residential areas have had to be evacuated. Wildfires have also broken out in Croatia, where severe heat warnings are in place for coastal areas. Temperatures in Greece have been approaching 40C for several days and coastal towns near the capital Athenslast week erupted in flames that destroyed homes - forcing people to evacuate. On Wednesday, Serbia reported its hottest day since records began, while a record 38.8C was recorded in Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina on Thursday. In Slovenia, the hottest-ever June temperature was recorded on Saturday. The temperature in North Macedonia's capital, Skopje, reached 42C on Friday - and are expected to continue in that range. While the heatwave is a potential health issue, it is also impacting the climate. Higher temperatures in the Adriatic Sea are encouraging invasive species such as the poisonous lionfish, while also causing further stress on alpine glaciers that arealready shrinking at record rates. While it is hard to link individual extreme weather events to climate change, heatwaves are becoming more common and more intense due to climate change. Sign up for our Future Earth newsletterto keep up with the latest climate and environment stories with the BBC's Justin Rowlatt. Outside the UK?Sign up to our international newsletter here.
'Unprecedented' alerts in France as blistering heat grips Europe
TruthLens AI Suggested Headline:
"Record Heat Alerts Issued Across Europe as Unprecedented Heatwave Strikes"
Bbc News
8.6
TruthLens AI Summary
France, along with several countries across southern and eastern Europe, is currently experiencing an unprecedented heatwave, prompting a record number of heat alerts. Specifically, 84 out of the 96 departments in mainland France are under an orange alert, which is the second highest level of warning. France's Climate Minister, Agnès Pannier-Runacher, has characterized the situation as unprecedented. The extreme temperatures have affected not only France but also parts of Spain, Portugal, Italy, Germany, and the UK, with Spain and Portugal recording their hottest June days on record over the past weekend. In Andalucía, temperatures soared to 46°C, while central Portugal recorded even higher temperatures of 46.6°C. As a precaution, emergency services are on standby, and residents are advised to stay indoors as much as possible. The heatwave has led to the closure of nearly 200 schools across France, with Education Minister Elisabeth Borne coordinating with regional authorities to ensure the safety of schoolchildren during this extreme weather event.
The heatwave has also triggered several forest fires in southern France, prompting evacuations and road closures, although fire authorities have since managed to contain the blazes. Italy is facing similar challenges, with 21 cities, including major ones like Rome and Milan, on the highest alert level. Reports indicate a 10% increase in heatstroke cases across Italian emergency departments. The UK is also bracing for potentially record-breaking temperatures, with forecasts of 34°C or higher. Meanwhile, Balkan countries are beginning to experience a slight cooling trend, although Turkey continues to battle numerous wildfires exacerbated by high temperatures. In Greece, temperatures have approached 40°C, leading to evacuations due to wildfires. The extreme heat is not only a public health concern but is also impacting the environment, with rising sea temperatures inviting invasive species and stressing alpine glaciers. While individual weather events cannot be directly linked to climate change, the increasing frequency and intensity of heatwaves are believed to be influenced by global climate change.
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