Mapped: The hottest locations in Europe's 46C heatwave after two die in Catalonia wildfire
Spanish firefighting authorities said the blaze was 'extremely violent and erratic' due to high temperatures and storms, and warned more storms and hot weather were forecast for Wednesday.
The wildfire comes as Europe faces an "exceptional" heatwave, prompting heat alerts throughout the region.
Spain, which experienced its hottest June in more than a century, has been enduring a heatwave since the weekend. On Wednesday, temperatures in parts of the country set to go past 40 degrees Celsius.
Madrid will reach 39C on Wednesday, while Campina Cordobesa in Cordoba will reach 43C, according to Spain's forecaster Aemet.
Orange heat warning for western inland areas of Portugal, with Castelo Branco forecast to hit 39C and Beja reaching 41C.
Portugal's weather service confirmed earlier this week that the inland town of Mora experienced the highest temperature ever recorded on the country's mainland for June, reaching 46.6C on Sunday.
Most of France also remains under an orange heat alert after temperatures around the country soared, but other parts remain under a red alert.
Parts of the Loire Valley have been warned by the French meteorological agency that maximum temperatures could reach 39C in the area, while in nearby Aube and Yonne temperatures could hit 40C.
Paris sizzled on Tuesday with the temperature nearing 40C, and the Eiffel Tower summit remains closed until Thursday for 'everyone's comfort and safety'. Visitors to the Eiffel Tower without tickets were told to postpone their visits.
Italy's health ministry said 17 of the country's 27 major cities were experiencing a heatwave.
The hottest city in Italy on Wednesday is Florence, with a forecast of 39. Parts of the popular tourist destination experienced a blackout on Tuesday after temperatures reached 38C.
But the worst of Italy's heatwave will peak on Friday according to forecaster il Meteo, with temperatures in Rome and Naples reaching 39C and 38C respectively.
More northern parts of Europe have not escaped the heatwave.
In Germany, extreme heat warnings remain in place for large swathes of the country. National forecaster DWD expects temperatures to reach 39C in Berlin, Hanover and Colone, while Frankfurt will reach 40C.
Switzerland and Austria also have extreme heat warnings, as do Belgium and the Netherlands.
Vienna will reach 33C on Wednesday, as will the Belgian capital Brussels. In Switzerland, top temperatures will hit 34C in Geneva and 33C in Zurich, while in the Netherlands, temperatures could reach up to 37C in the southeast and east, according to the country's national forecaster.
The abnormally hot weather "is exposing millions of Europeans to high heat stress" with temperatures more typical of July and August, said Samantha Burgess of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BreakingNews.ie
2 hours ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Pamplona draws thousands of revellers for bull-running festival
Tens of thousands of revellers packed the main square in Pamplona in northern Spain on Sunday to celebrate the traditional 'chupinazo' firework blast that marks the start of the San Fermin bull-running festival. Nearly everyone, including the throngs of foreign tourists who come to the event, was dressed in the traditional garb of white trousers and shirt with red sash and neckerchief. Advertisement As the rocket that starts the official party was fired, many doused each other with red or sparkling wine. Revellers sprayed each other with red or sparkling wine (Miguel Oses/AP) The highlight of the nine-day festival is the early morning 'encierros', or bull runs, starting on Monday, when thousands of brave or foolhardy participants sprint to avoid six bulls charging along a winding cobblestoned route to the city's bullring. While gorings are not rare, many more people suffer bruising from falls as spectators watch from balconies and wooden barricades set up along the course. The spectacle is televised nationally. The rest of each day is for eating, drinking, dancing and cultural entertainment, including bull fights where the animals that run in the morning are slain by professional matadors each afternoon. Advertisement The festival was made internationally famous by Ernest Hemingway's classic 1926 novel The Sun Also Rises, about American bohemians living in Europe.
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
We're a Scottish couple living in Spain... here are the REAL reasons people move back to the UK
A Scottish couple living in Spain has revealed the real reasons people head back to the UK. Barry and Karen Livingstone moved to the sunny shores of Torrevieja in 2020 'after years of dreaming about it'. Following in the footsteps of thousands of Brits, the pair have adapted well to the more laid back Iberian lifestyle and insist it is the 'best move we have ever made'. But now, taking to their popular YouTube channel Scottish Couple In Spain, the Scots have delved into their experience of people heading the opposite way to them and shed light on the main issues that drive them back. Walking their beloved springer spaniel across the Santa Pola promenade, just half an hour drive up the coast from their new home, Barry and Karen started off by insisting there were a variety of reasons Brits realise paradise is not for them. A key factor, though, is money. Often those who head there are dealt the brutal truth that the Spanish dream is not financially sustainable. Karen pointed out that homesickness also plays a part, with many missing their friends and family while out there. Barry admitted that family often piled on some added 'pressure' when it comes to decision-making, especially if a spouse dies. But now, taking to their popular YouTube channel Scottish Couple In Spain, the Scots have delved into their experience of people heading the opposite way to them This has hit particularly close to home for the Scottish couple, who have gone to four funerals since their move five years ago. 'I think some people can find it quite isolating if they've lost a partner,' Karen added. 'That's quite a common one, particularly as there is an older generation of Brits who have been out here for a number of years. It's starting to affect a lot more people now. A large portion of expats in Spain have been there for more than two decades, Barry observed, and many are left unsure whether they want to die and be buried away from home. He claimed that while some of the people heading back to the UK were of working age, most were pensioners. And of the members of their slightly younger age group who moved out with them during Covid, Barry calculated that around half had already gone home. The move also sometimes falls through when health issues emerge and Brits feel uncomfortable with the quality of Spanish hospitals, particularly with the added inconvenience of a language barrier. She said: 'We know many people who have gone home for health reasons because they need more healthcare in their later years and they would rather be back in the UK where things are familiar and everything is easy to understand.' Would they ever rethink things and return home? The weather, which has improved their mental health, as well as the cost of living and a less materialistic population were mentioned as the main positives of living in the country 'Safe to say "no", definitely not in the plans,' Karen said. 'I think we have planned pretty well for the future. We have got good plans in place for retirement, we're quite comfortable with the public health system here - I think it's fantastic.' She added that, in summary, there was nothing at all pushing them back to the UK. Besides, their family and friends prefer it that way, now able to stay with them in sunny Spain during holidays, they joked. The weather, which has improved their mental health, as well as the cost of living and a less materialistic population were mentioned as the main positives of living in the country. As if to prove the point, they then showed a panoramic view of Santa Pola's sandy swathes of beaches, sun-kissed even in November when they filmed the video.
BreakingNews.ie
3 hours ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Scorching temperatures in Europe not deterring Irish tourists from travelling
Scorching temperatures in mainland Europe are not deterring Irish tourists from travelling, travel agents nationwide have found. Temperatures have surged past 44°C in parts of Spain, Portugal, Italy, and France. Portugal and Spain recorded their hottest June ever. Advertisement Scientists said the extreme temperatures in the region were related to a "heat dome" over continental Europe. A heat dome is an area of high-pressure air in the atmosphere which gets stuck in place over a region because atmospheric dynamics around it block it from moving. A heat dome results in clear, sunny days, and still conditions with little cooling wind. Europe is the world's fastest-warming continent, heating up at twice the global average according to meteorologists. Current seasonal forecasts for July, August and September indicate Europe is highly likely to experience a warmer than average summer, Dr Samantha Burgess, Strategic Lead for Climate at the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service, told Reuters news agency. Advertisement Mary Denton, chief executive of Sunway Travel, one of the country's largest travel agents, explained that they 'haven't received any queries from customers asking to re-arrange their holiday dates or cancel due to the temperatures at their destination.' Ms Denton added: 'We have a lot of people due to travel this weekend (and) most of our customers will be going to Spain, Portugal, Turkey and Morocco. 'People are paying attention to what's going around the world but it hasn't put a stop to holidays and it isn't dampening enthusiasm for summer holidays. 'Holiday resorts and hotels are well prepared and once customers are sensible and follow local advice they will enjoy their time away.' Advertisement The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has calculated that Irish people took more than 12 million overnight trips abroad in 2023 - many of them over the summer months. Thomas Britton who owns Marble City Travel in Kilkenny revealed that people are 'just powering ahead with their planned holidays. They want heat on their bones. Bookings are solid.' Mr Britton warned that there are 'cost implications' in postponing or cancelling holidays due to hot temperatures. 'Travel insurance companies will not cover postponing holidays due to the heat dome across Europe.' His remarks were reiterated by travel expert Eoghan Corry, who outlined that holidaymakers 'can't cancel trips' due to the hot temperatures. 'Insurance will just not cover cancellations due to such temperatures. Unless they can show that the heat will seriously impact their heat with medical letters then insurance companies might consider cancellations or postponements'.
