Paris: Fires broke out in France and Turkey on Sunday, as authorities in Spain, Portugal, and Italy issued warnings for citizens to seek shelter from an intensifying heatwave. Firefighters were mobilized across several countries to tackle the blazes, while southern Europeans sought refuge from the extreme temperatures.
According to France24.com, France witnessed wildfires in the Corbieres area of Aude in the southwest, where temperatures soared above 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit). This prompted the evacuation of a campsite and an abbey as a precautionary measure. Similarly, in Turkey, firefighters battled fires in the Seferihisar district, leading to the evacuation of five neighborhoods.
The situation in Greece also remained dire, as firefighters continued to combat a forest blaze on the coast south of Athens last week. French weather service Meteo France issued an orange heatwave alert, the second-highest level, for a record 84 out of the country’s 101 regional departments on Monday.
Spain's weather service, AEMET, reported that temperatures in Extremadura and Andalusia reached up to 44 degrees Celsius on Sunday. In Madrid, temperatures approached 40 degrees Celsius, prompting residents to express concerns about the unusual heat for this time of year.
Italy put 21 cities on high alert for extreme heat, including major cities like Milan, Naples, and Rome. British tourist Anna Becker, visiting Rome, recounted a close call when her mother nearly fainted due to the heat. Italian hospital emergency departments reported a 10-percent increase in heatstroke cases, particularly affecting vulnerable groups such as the elderly and cancer patients.
In Portugal, regions including Lisbon were under a red warning for extreme heat until Monday night, with two-thirds of the country on high alert for heat and forest fires. The Italian island of Sicily also faced challenges, with firefighters tackling 15 blazes on Saturday.
Scientists indicate that climate change is fueling more frequent and intense heatwaves, especially in urban areas where the "urban heat island" effect exacerbates temperatures. Emanuela Piervitali from the Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA) emphasized the increasing frequency and intensity of heatwaves in the Mediterranean, predicting even higher temperature peaks in the future.
The rising temperatures are also attracting invasive species, thriving in the Mediterranean's warming waters. ISPRA launched a campaign urging fishermen and tourists to report sightings of four venomous species appearing in southern Italy’s waters. Additionally, the League for the Protection of Birds (LPO) reported that their care centers are overwhelmed with birds in distress due to the heat.