PARIS – Waterbombing aircraft skimmed the river Seine as firefighters struggled to contain a forest blaze south of Paris raging into its third day on July 14 amid a spreading heatwave that has left swathes of Europe primed for more wildfires.
As France battled flames, the third bout of extreme heat this season that is also affecting Britain and Spain continued its progression into Italy, where the authorities were bracing themselves for temperatures reaching 44 deg C in Sardinia this week.
According to the Reuters Climate Monitor, the average high of temperatures across Western Europe was 29.4 deg C on July 14, 6.3 deg C higher than the seasonal average high for July 14 recorded between 1961 and 1990.
The difference was most pronounced in Belgium and France, with seasonal highs deviating by as much as 9.4 deg C and 9.1 deg C.
Scientists say climate change is making such events more frequent and intense, leaving forests and scrubland across the continent primed to burn.
More than 10,000 excess deaths were recorded across Europe and Britain in the last two record-breaking heatwaves in May and late June, with scientists saying the only credible reason for the unusually high toll was heat-related.
In Spain, the authorities continued work to identify victims of last week’s deadly forest fire in the popular holiday area of Almeria, which killed at least 13 people, mostly foreigners, and left 10 missing.
French firefighters battled through the night to tackle the blaze that tore through the historic forest of Fontainebleau, home to one of France’s best-known royal palaces. At least two people were arrested on suspicion of having started the fire.
“It is not under control,” Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said late on July 13, adding that the main blaze in Fontainebleau and another one nearby that started in the afternoon on July 13 has scorched 1,300ha.
He said 59 people were arrested across France on suspicion of starting fires this season.
Nunez said the Fontainebleau blaze is contributing to what will likely be a record year for fires in France, with 32,000ha burned already in 2026, more than the total in 2025.
“We expected this with this major drought,” he added.
In Italy, a high-pressure system that has taken hold in Sardinia was anticipated to peak on July 16 and 17, meteorologists said, with temperatures expected to reach 44 deg C in inland Sardinia, 39 deg C in Florence, and 38 deg C in Rome.
The incoming heat is accompanied by fine sand billowing in from North Africa, they said. REUTERS REUTERS
