Europe’s deadly heatwave breaks temperature records, fuels wildfires

A fierce heatwave has gripped western Europe, leaving much of the continent sweltering under record high temperatures. Here is what you need to know about the unprecedented heatwave that has forced thousands to evacuate their homes and caused widespread destruction.

What is happening in Europe?

The continent is under the grip of a heatwave that has fuelled wildfires in France, Portugal, Spain and Greece, caused hundreds of heat-related deaths and broken several local temperature records.

The heatwave has moved northward to the United Kingdom, which has its first ever red extreme heat warning in place, reports BBC.

Record-breaking temperature

The UK is expected to experience its hottest day on record today, with the temperature expected to touch 42 degrees Celsius. This will be the first time on record that the temperature in UK has breached 40C.

On Monday, the temperature in Suffolk reached 38.1C (just short of the 2019 record of 38.7C). Wales, meanwhile, experienced its hottest day on record with the mercury soaring to 37.1C.

Ireland saw temperatures of 33C in Dublin -- the highest since 1887.

Across the Channel, several regions of France also saw their hottest day on record with the temperature reaching 42C in the city of Nantes. The mercury hit 39.3C in Brest on the Atlantic coast of Brittany, and 39.5C at Saint-Brieuc, news agency AFP reported.

Meanwhile, parts of Spain have been scorching under 40C for 10 days straight, with only the nights providing slight relief.

Droughts and wildfires

The deadly heatwave has fed wildfires in France, Greece, Portugal and Spain, destroying thousands of hectares of land.

In Spain, helicopters dropped water on the flames as heat above 40 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) and often mountainous terrain made the job harder for firefighters. Armies of firefighters in France also struggled to contain the two massive fires that have led to widespread destruction.

European Commission researchers, meanwhile, said nearly half (46 percent) of EU territory was exposed to warning-level drought. Eleven percent was at an alert level, and crops were already suffering from lack of water.

The cost of climate change

Climate experts have warned that longer, more intense heatwaves are being caused by global warming and climate change.

“Climate change kills,” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said on Monday, according to Al Jazeera. “It kills people, it kills our ecosystems and biodiversity.”

Spain is battling more than 30 wildfires. A fire burning in the northwestern province of Zamora claimed the life of a 69-year-old shepherd, regional authorities said. On Sunday, a fireman died in the same area. Later on Monday it was reported an office worker in his fifties had died from heatstroke in Madrid – making it one of the many heat-related deaths in burning Europe.

Melting runways, travel advisories

Extreme temperature damaged a runway in one of the UK’s biggest airports. London Luton Airport was forced to suspend flights on Monday after part of its runway melted, reports The Guardian.

Countries like France, Spain and Portugal have issued travel advisories, warning people – especially the elderly – to stay inside.

Trains were cancelled and schools closed in affected areas.