Europe swelters as record heat and drought grip continent
Large parts of Europe remained in the grip of extreme heat on Tuesday, with several countries reporting record temperatures, worsening drought and destructive wildfires as authorities issued fresh warnings and emergency measures.
France records hottest July on record
France experienced its hottest July since records began in 1900, according to Meteo-France, with the month surpassing previous temperature records set in August 2003 and July 2006.
The country also recorded its third-driest July, with rainfall nearly 70% below normal, while a 16-day heatwave from July 4 to 19 became the third longest on record.
Temperatures reached a record 40.5C in Marignane, while the southern town of Vives registered the country's highest-ever overnight minimum temperature of 30.6C.
The prolonged heat has left average soil moisture at record lows, severely affecting agriculture and fueling widespread wildfires.
Sixteen departments remained under orange heatwave alerts on Tuesday, while 12 were also under orange wildfire warnings. Firefighters continued battling blazes in the Var and Drôme regions, while authorities warned that high temperatures and dry vegetation could trigger new outbreaks.
Separately, the French Office for Biodiversity said drought has pushed small rivers to their lowest recorded levels for this time of year, describing the situation as "historic and critical," with more than 1,370 watercourses either dried up or experiencing interrupted flows.
Spain and Austria set new heat records
Spain recorded its hottest and driest start to summer since records began, with average temperatures in June and July nearly 3C above the 1991-2020 average and rainfall at its lowest level since 1961.
The extreme conditions have intensified one of the country's worst wildfire seasons in recent years. A record wildfire in Ávila burned more than 50,000 hectares in five days, while simultaneous fires forced around 90,000 people to evacuate or remain indoors because of hazardous smoke. Earlier this month, 14 people were killed in a wildfire in Almería.
In Austria, temperatures reached a record 41C in Vienna-Stammersdorf on Tuesday, the highest ever measured in the country. Weather authorities issued their highest-level red warnings for Vienna and surrounding regions as forecasters warned temperatures could climb even higher.
Heat alerts spread across Europe
Romania placed more than half the country under code orange heatwave warnings, with temperatures forecast to reach up to 39C and tropical nights expected in several regions. Earlier forecasts indicated temperatures could climb as high as 41C.
In Belgium, authorities expanded a water abstraction ban across the entire province of Antwerp from Wednesday as drought continued to reduce river flows and water levels. Officials warned the restrictions were necessary to protect aquatic ecosystems and said no significant improvement in weather conditions was expected in the short term.
UK links worsening heat to climate change
UK Health Secretary Yvette Cooper said there was "no doubt" climate change was contributing to increasingly severe heatwaves across Britain and Europe after England and Wales recorded their driest July on record.
She called for stronger international cooperation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while balancing climate commitments with energy security and affordable supplies.
Source:AA
