Heatwave intensifies in southern Europe

Almost all of French territory should be affected on Saturday, and 11 departments located mainly along the Atlantic coast and in the south-west are kept on red alert, with temperatures which could locally reach 42 ° C, according to Météo- France.

The heat is expected to increase further on Saturday afternoon from the west of the Pyrenees towards the northeast of the countryaccording to Météo-France, which states thatit will generally be between 38 and 41 ° C in the south-west, the center and the Paris region.

Peaks close to 42°C are even possible locally in the south of the Aquitaine region (south-west). Absolute temperature records could then be brokenwarns Météo-France in its last bulletin on Saturday.

The multiplication of heat waves in Europe is a direct consequence of global warming. Greenhouse gas emissions increase the strength, duration and rate of repetition of heat waves, scientists say.

Many festive, sporting and cultural events have also been canceled.

From Saturday evening, however, occasional thunderstorms could occur on the Atlantic coast, the first signs of a deterioration expected for Sunday evening which will allow the heat wave to gradually regress to no longer concern only the eastern flank of the countryaccording to Météo-France.

The heat wave has particular consequences for homeless people, who are vulnerable to dehydration.

In Toulouse (south-west), the Red Cross organizes rounds to distribute fresh water to them. There are more deaths of people on the streets in summer than in winterassures a 67-year-old volunteer, Hugues Juglair.

Farmers also have to adapt. Daniel Toffaloni, farmer near Elne (Pyrénées-Orientales), dawn attack until 11:30 a.m.. Afterwards, I can work in the evening, before nightfall, says this sexagenarian. In his tomato greenhouses, the temperature can reach 55°C.

We are in a very early heatwave episode, a strong episode that lasts a little longer than expectedsaid the French Minister of Health, Brigitte Bourguignon, during a trip to a retirement home in the south-west, adding that the hospital is obviously saturated, but meets the demand.

Land ravaged in Spain

In Spain, firefighters continued to fight several fires.

The most devastating fire forced the authorities to evacuate 14 villages with several hundred inhabitants, in the Sierra de la Culebra, a mountain range in the Castile and Leon region, near the border with Portugal.

According to the regional authorities, some of them were able to return to their homes on Saturday morning, the flames having moved away from their homes.

In total, nearly 20,000 hectares burned in this giant fire.

However, the fire stay activeunderlined the government of Castile and Leon, referring to weather conditions unfavorablewith a dry wind and high temperatures.

Firefighters also continued to fight other fires in Caudiel, in the Valencia region (southeast), or in Artesa de Segre, in Catalonia (northeast), where a fire underway since Wednesday has already ravaged 1600 hectares of land.

Germany affected

The heat wave is not sparing Germany either, where temperatures of up to 40 degrees could be felt on Saturday, while a few fires have already broken out.

In Brandenburg, the region around Berlin, the fire started on Friday and spread in the evening over around 60 hectares.

Another fire in the Trecktal valley, southwest of Berlin, is under control for now, but threatens to flare up again due to drought and high ground temperatures. Some 6.5 hectares of forest burned.

The United Nations (UN) on Friday called for act now against drought and desertification in order to avoid human disasters.

It’s time to act: every action countssaid the administrative secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), Ibrahim Thiaw, during a conference in Madrid on the occasion of the world day for the fight against drought.