France and Western Europe Face Record Heat and Disruption

France is experiencing an “unprecedented” heatwave, with 84 of 96 mainland departments under orange alert. The extreme temperatures have led to nearly 200 schools closing or reducing activities. Climate Minister Agnès Pannier-Runacher and Education Minister Elisabeth Borne are coordinating emergency responses to protect children and families. Emergency services are on standby, urging citizens to stay indoors.

Spain and Portugal had their hottest June days ever. El Granado in southern Spain hit 46 degrees Celsius on Saturday, while Mora in central Portugal reached 46.6 degrees on Sunday. Seven Portuguese districts including Lisbon remain at the highest alert level. Many areas are experiencing severe disruptions in daily life, including insomnia and loss of appetite from the intense heat.

Meanwhile, the UK braces for potentially one of its hottest June days on record, with parts of England possibly exceeding 34 degrees Celsius. Germany’s meteorological service forecasts highs of up to 38 degrees Celsius midweek, marking a worrying trend across central Europe.

Across western and southern Europe, wildfires are flaring up. In France, fires in the Corbières mountains caused evacuations and road closures. Firefighters managed to contain the flames but remain on high alert. The Italian Society of Emergency Medicine reports a 10 percent rise in heatstroke cases, with 21 Italian cities including Rome, Milan, and Venice now under red alert.

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The heatwave extends across the Balkans and southeastern Europe. Temperatures have been soaring, with Serbia recording its hottest day ever. In Sarajevo, Bosnia, a record 38.8 degrees Celsius was reached, while Skopje, North Macedonia’s capital, climbed to 42 degrees Celsius. Slovenia also saw its highest-ever June temperature on Saturday. Though temperatures are beginning to dip in some areas, the damage is ongoing.

Greece has faced days of 40-degree heat, triggering wildfires near Athens that forced evacuations. Croatia’s coastal regions remain under extreme heat warnings as fires spread, and Turkey is battling hundreds of wildfires. One large blaze near Izmir destroyed 20 homes, intensified by strong winds.

The climate effects are becoming visible beyond heat and fire. Higher temperatures in the Adriatic Sea are fostering invasive species like the venomous lionfish. At the same time, alpine glaciers across Europe are under serious threat, shrinking faster than ever due to repeated heat events.

This heatwave is not only a human crisis but an ecological one. Health systems are strained and emergency departments are overwhelmed, with many countries seeing sharp increases in heat-related illnesses.

While no single event can be fully attributed to climate change, scientists agree that such heatwaves are becoming more frequent and intense due to global warming. The European heat crisis of 2025 is a stark reminder of the growing threat climate change poses to public health, infrastructure, and ecosystems.