TE24 International Desk:
France was on high alert on Monday as the peak of a catastrophic heat wave hit the country, but wildfires across parts of southwestern Europe showed no sign of abating. Forecasters have put 15 French departments on extreme high temperature warning as neighboring Britain is set to set new heat records next week.
The heatwave is the second in weeks to wipe out parts of southwestern Europe, and fires burning in France, Greece, Portugal and Spain have destroyed thousands of hectares of land and thousands of residents. I let the vacationers escape.
Scientists decry climate change and predict more frequent and intense episodes of extreme weather events such as heat waves and droughts.
In France’s Landes Forest, southwest of Aquitaine, temperatures on Monday will be “above 42 degrees Celsius,” forecaster Olivier Proust said. And Brittany, which until recently escaped the worst of the heat, could see highs of 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), which would be a record for the region, experts say.
In the southwestern region of Girond, firefighters are battling to contain a blaze that has consumed nearly 11,000 hectares (27,000 acres) since Tuesday over the weekend. Meanwhile, Spanish officials said about 20 wildfires remained out of control in various parts of the country, from the south to the northwestern tip of Galicia, and had destroyed about 4,500 hectares of land.
Fires since last week have already killed several civilians and responders. Most recently, a firefighter died late Sunday night while battling a blaze in northwest Spain.
