Heatwaves and wildfires grip Europe as temperatures exceed 40°C
As summer temperatures continue to climb across Europe, multiple wildfires and extreme heatwaves have erupted in various regions across the continent.
A heatwave in Turkey pushed temperature past 40 degrees Celsius, creating dangerous conditions. Wildfires broke out in Izmir, Bursa, Tekirdag, Sakarya and Adana, prompting emergency responses.
Ground and aerial firefighting teams were deployed to combat the blazes. Efforts faced a tragic setback in Adana after a firefighting aircraft crashed while attempting to scoop water from a nearby dam. Search and rescue operations are currently underway.
In Greece, many Athenians rushed to the beaches as the year's first major heatwave hit the country.
The heat there will intensify through to Friday, peaking at around 40-41 degrees Celsius inland. The heatwave is expected to last until the end of the weekend when temperatures are forecast to ease.
Tourists and locals in both Spain and Portugal are bracing themselves for the heat this weekend as temperatures there are also set to soar. Portugal could see extreme temperatures of up to 44 degrees Celsius.
The Portuguese weather service issued a hot weather warning for all of continental Portugal. A yellow warning was issued for most of the country and orange for some inland regions at particular risk of high temperatures.
Tourists in the nations' capitals of Madrid and Lisbon stuck to the shade and drank cold drinks to deal with the heat.
Authorities have urged citizens to remain vigilant and avoid activities that could spark additional fires, warning that dry conditions and strong winds may continue to fuel the flames.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Euronews
12 hours ago
- Euronews
Heatwaves and wildfires grip Europe as temperatures exceed 40°C
As summer temperatures continue to climb across Europe, multiple wildfires and extreme heatwaves have erupted in various regions across the continent. A heatwave in Turkey pushed temperature past 40 degrees Celsius, creating dangerous conditions. Wildfires broke out in Izmir, Bursa, Tekirdag, Sakarya and Adana, prompting emergency responses. Ground and aerial firefighting teams were deployed to combat the blazes. Efforts faced a tragic setback in Adana after a firefighting aircraft crashed while attempting to scoop water from a nearby dam. Search and rescue operations are currently underway. In Greece, many Athenians rushed to the beaches as the year's first major heatwave hit the country. The heat there will intensify through to Friday, peaking at around 40-41 degrees Celsius inland. The heatwave is expected to last until the end of the weekend when temperatures are forecast to ease. Tourists and locals in both Spain and Portugal are bracing themselves for the heat this weekend as temperatures there are also set to soar. Portugal could see extreme temperatures of up to 44 degrees Celsius. The Portuguese weather service issued a hot weather warning for all of continental Portugal. A yellow warning was issued for most of the country and orange for some inland regions at particular risk of high temperatures. Tourists in the nations' capitals of Madrid and Lisbon stuck to the shade and drank cold drinks to deal with the heat. Authorities have urged citizens to remain vigilant and avoid activities that could spark additional fires, warning that dry conditions and strong winds may continue to fuel the flames.
Euronews
14 hours ago
- Euronews
Europe braces for scorching temperatures
Europe braces for an exceptional heatwave expected on the weekend, with temperatures as high as 44 degrees Celsius. According to France's official weather service, four southern departments including the Bouches-du-Rhône, Gard, Hérault and Pyrénées-Orientales are under heatwave alerts, while 14 departements are expected to be on Saturday. Alerts of "severe" risks of wildfire, have also been issued. One French meteorologist, Jérôme Cerisier, says they are expecting 10 to 15 degrees above the seasonal average. "A new anticyclone is settling over France, and we'll once again have what we call a 'heat dome', with temperatures rising by 1 to 2°C day after day. The warm air is self-sustaining, the skies are clear, so we'll once again see exceptional values, often 10 to 15°C above seasonal averages, and for the long term" said Cerisier. In Portugal capital of Lisbon, temperatures of up to 42 degrees Celsius are anticipated in the coming days. The Portuguese weather service issued yellow and orange warnings across much of the country. With once again a risk of wildfires in a good part of the country, ngela Lourenço who works for IPMA said " the risk of wildfires aggravates with the temperatures, humidity and winds - really hot weather, temperatures will increase greatly, very low humidity and the wind will blow at times, (..) so from a meteorological point of view - we have here conditions that increase the risk of wildfires and this situation will stay for the coming days and week." Finally, in Spain's capital of Madrid, tourists and locals look for shade and ways to cool down. One English tourist Amy Wainwright, said " I think we try to avoid the sun as much as possible. We try to stay inside as much as possible and try to drink as much beer as possible. I think it's possibly the best option." The heatwave is expected to last until Tuesday.
France 24
3 days ago
- France 24
Club World Cup winners team who handles weather best: Dortmund's Kovac
The German side face Korean outfit Ulsan HD on Wednesday looking to qualify for the last 16 from Group F in Cincinnati, where temperatures are set to reach 34 degrees Celsius. "I think that this tournament will be decided not by the best team, but the team that can adapt to these weather conditions the best and they will probably win this tournament," Kovac told reporters at the TQL Stadium. Dortmund edged South African side Mamelodi Sundowns 4-3 at the same stadium on Saturday, in which their substitutes hid from the sun in the dressing room in the first half, and then under umbrellas pitch-side in the second. "Our boys are very well taken care of by our doctors and the medical staff," continued Kovac. "We took the necessary measures and we try to do everything possible to make the right decisions and to take care of our players. "We have very cold towels. We put them in ice baths. The boys also need to cool down their legs and their feet in cold water and ice baths. "During the last match some of the boys watched the match from the dressing room. We didn't want them sitting on the bench in the direct sunlight. We want to keep them in the shade." Kovac also said he did not want Dortmund's players to get too cold either. "We try to decrease the intensity of the air conditioning and the fans because it is very dangerous to go from hot to cold all the time," he added. Kovac said winger Jamie Gittens, who has been heavily linked with a move to Chelsea, was not available to face Ulsan because he was ill. "There were so many rumours at the moment but he is actually sick," said Kovac. "He felt under the weather for the last couple of days with a clogged nose and a scratchy throat. © 2025 AFP
