France Faces Third Heatwave as Wildfires Rage in Portugal and Greece

Just one week after emerging from a historic heatwave that claimed over 2,000 lives, France is now confronting a new heatwave starting Sunday. Seven southern departments have been issued an orange warning, the second-highest alert level, with temperatures expected to reach up to 40 degrees Celsius. The heatwave is forecasted to spread northward and last through the weekend, marking the third such event in France this year following an early May heatwave and the recent record-breaking June heatwave.

The French meteorological service has also warned of increased wildfire risks along Mediterranean coastal areas due to strong winds. A large wildfire broke out on Saturday night in Pyrénées-Orientales, consuming nearly 10,000 hectares by Sunday morning. Across Europe, hundreds of firefighters are battling extensive forest fires in Greece and Portugal. In Portugal’s central Viseu region, about 1,200 firefighters, supported by reinforcements from Italy and Spain, have been combating a blaze that has burned 120 square kilometers over three days.

In northern Greece, over 100 firefighters have been fighting a wildfire near Thessaloniki since Saturday, prompting evacuation orders for three small villages. Residents in parts of Thessaloniki were advised to stay indoors and close windows due to toxic smoke from a recycling plant fire caused by the wildfire. A 76-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of arson. The fire damaged several businesses and forced the evacuation of a facility housing 157 people with special needs.

Greece, which often faces long, hot, dry summers with frequent winds, had avoided major fires in June until this recent outbreak. The country has experienced deadly wildfires in recent years, including a 2018 fire east of Athens that killed over 100 people and a massive 2023 wildfire in northeastern Greece, the largest ever recorded in the EU.

Scientists warn that human-driven climate change is intensifying the frequency and severity of heatwaves and droughts across Europe. The European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service reports that Europe is warming twice as fast as the global average since the 1980s. The World Health Organization estimates that over 200,000 heat-related deaths occurred in Europe in the past four years, most of which were preventable. The year 2024 is on track to be the hottest year on record globally, with Europe experiencing the second-highest number of heat stress days ever recorded.