Europe shatters June heat records as France hits all-time high 44C, Spain reports 212 deaths

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2 months · 3 summary articles
Four children die in Europe heatwave and road crashes
Follow-upEurope shatters June heat records as France hits all-time high 44C, Spain reports 212 deaths
Europe shatters May heat records: 12 dead in UK as French prisons face 'inhumane' heat
Follow-up
Europe’s record-shattering heatwave deepened on Thursday, as France endured its hottest day in history, Spain counted 212 heat-related deaths in four days, and Ireland braced for what could be its hottest day ever. The extreme temperatures, which have already broken records from London to Madrid, are now stretching emergency services, power grids and public health systems across the continent.
France’s national thermal indicator hit 29.6°C on Wednesday, surpassing the previous June record set in 2019 and triggering the activation of the government’s highest-level heat emergency plan . At least 330 temperature records fell nationwide, including 131 all-time highs, with peaks exceeding 44°C. The surge in heat-related illnesses forced the closure of 1,800 schools, while wildfires broke out in several regions. In Paris, tourists sought refuge from the scorching sun along the Champs-Élysées, ducking into air-conditioned shops as workers adapted shifts to avoid the worst of the midday heat .
Spain’s health ministry reported 212 deaths linked to the heatwave since Saturday, with the country recording its hottest June days in more than seven decades . In France, a three-year-old child was found dead in a car on Wednesday, the third such tragedy during the current heatwave, while a British woman died at a campsite in the south of the country .
Ireland’s meteorological service, Met Éireann, extended its high-temperature warning until Saturday, warning that Thursday could bring the country’s hottest day on record. A separate thunderstorm warning has also been issued for the afternoon, adding to the strain on emergency responders . Across the continent, at least 101 million people are expected to experience temperatures above 35°C, with 50 million of those in France alone .
Governments have scrambled to respond. France activated its Orsan plan level 3, the highest alert, while Spain has implemented workplace protections for outdoor workers, and Italy placed 17 cities on red alert . The heatwave, which has also brought temperatures near 40°C to parts of Romania and Germany, is expected to ease gradually from Sunday, though meteorologists warn that such early-season extremes are becoming the new normal amid accelerating climate change .
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