Heatwaves have become more frequent due to climate change, scientists say. As global temperatures rise over time, they are expected to become more intense. The previous such phenomenon to blight France, Portugal and Spain occurred in mid-June
Firefighters spray water to extinguish a wildfire near Besseges, southern France, on July 7, 2022. Image: Sylvain Thomas / AFP
France and Britain were set to suffer soaring temperatures on Wednesday, with a heatwave in Western Europe fuelling wildfires across vast stretches of forestland.
Since Sunday, large parts of the Iberian Peninsula have seen temperatures surpassing 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) in Spain and Portugal, where firefighters have battled wildfires.
In southern France since Tuesday afternoon, a wildfire scorched through 800 hectares of pine trees just south of Bordeaux, pushing 150 residents to evacuate their homes, according to the local fire department.
And near the Dune of Pilat—Europe's tallest sand dune—another fire consumed about 180 hectares of old pine trees, authorities said.