Beirut: A new heat wave is set to grip France and Spain from Wednesday, with meteorological agencies warning that soaring temperatures could further complicate efforts to contain major wildfires burning in both countries. According to Anadolu Agency, the event will mark the fourth episode of extreme heat this summer and the 54th heat wave recorded nationwide in France since 1947.
Temperatures began rising rapidly at the beginning of the week after a brief respite over the weekend. On Monday, minimum temperatures hovered around 20C (68F) in areas surrounding the Mediterranean, but remained lower elsewhere. Maximum temperatures stayed below 30C (86F) across most of the country, except along the Mediterranean coast and in the lower Rhone Valley.
The latest heat wave is forecast to begin Tuesday, with highs expected to climb to between 32C and 35C (89.6-95F) across much of France and reach 36C to 37C (96.8-98.6F) in the southwest. Meteo-France predicts temperatures of 33C (91.4F) in Nantes and Paris, 34C (93.2F) in Lyon, and 35C (95F) in Clermont-Ferrand and Toulouse.
Spain's national weather agency Aemet also warned that another heat wave would affect the country from Wednesday through at least Sunday, cautioning that "extreme" wildfire conditions and strong winds would complicate firefighting operations. This latest episode follows a significant heat wave in France between June 17 and July 2, which resulted in 5,764 excess deaths, according to Public Health France.
The agency noted that the increase in all-cause mortality could not yet be conclusively attributed to the extreme heat. However, the provisional figure represents the country's highest excess mortality since the deadly 2003 heat wave. Excess deaths were recorded across all age groups aged 15 and older, with a 'marked increase' among people aged 45 and above.
The three previous heat episodes have also impacted the French economy. The government has lowered its 2026 gross domestic product growth forecast from 0.9% to 0.7%, with heat waves contributing to the slowdown, according to Clement Bortoli, head of the economic outlook synthesis division at France's national statistics institute INSEE. In response to growing pressure on the health system, the government has activated Level 3 of its ORSAN emergency health plan and allocated pound 100 million ($113.7 million) to accelerate hospitals' adaptation to extreme heat.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez stated that authorities had anticipated a challenging wildfire season due to current climatic conditions. Since the start of the season, 13,566 wildfires or fire outbreaks have been recorded, with a total of 116,085 hectares (286,872 acres) of land burned nationwide. France has significantly reinforced its firefighting capacity, operating a fleet of 67 aircraft, including 12 Canadair water bombers and various other aerial resources, making it "one of the largest aerial firefighting fleets in Europe."
Nunez reported that the wildfire in Gironde has burned around 42,000 hectares (103,784 acres) but was "stabilized, though not yet contained," warning that the fire season is "far from over." He urged the public to avoid traveling to the Gironde area until the blaze is under control.
In Spain, Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska emphasized that the coming days will be "absolutely decisive" for controlling major wildfires near Madrid. The two blazes have already scorched more than 75,000 hectares (185,329 acres) and remain a major concern as another heat wave approaches.
French Ecological Transition Minister Monique Barbut warned of the economic impact of this year's drought, expected to exceed that of the record 2022 drought. Barbut stated that the 2022 drought cost France an estimated pound 5.6 billion ($6.5 billion), including substantial losses in agriculture and hydroelectric power generation. She warned that the current drought is anticipated to be even more costly than the one experienced four years ago.