Western Europe set a new temperature record for the June-July period, with average temperatures reaching 21.62°C and surpassing the previous 2022 record, according to the EU's Copernicus climate monitor. The extreme heat has fueled widespread drought and devastating wildfires across the continent.
French authorities evacuated 40,000 residents and tourists from Cap Ferret peninsula near Bordeaux after wildfires breached defensive perimeters, destroying 53 homes across 8,700 hectares. Boats were deployed for rescues as the blazes contributed to a broader wildfire crisis across western Europe.
Preliminary official data shows at least 3,700 excess deaths across Western Europe following a severe late-June heatwave, with older populations particularly affected. The crisis has triggered political fallout in France, where the prime minister faces a no-confidence vote.
A severe heatwave gripping Western Europe has caused at least 212 excess deaths in Spain since Sunday, with the UK and Switzerland recording their hottest-ever June temperatures. At least 101 million Europeans are affected by the extreme heat, which has also caused power outages and health emergencies across multiple countries.
