As an early summer heatwave gripped much of Europe, firefighters in Turkey and France battled fast-moving wildfires on Monday, prompting the evacuation of over 50,000 people.
Health warnings were issued across several countries, including France, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Germany, and even the Netherlands, which is typically accustomed to a milder climate. The region is experiencing unusually high temperatures for June, conditions more common in peak summer months like July and August.
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Samantha Burgess, Climate Strategy Lead at the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, noted that many areas are currently 5 to 10 degrees Celsius warmer than average for this time of year.
In Turkey’s western Izmir province, wildfires continued for a second day, intensified by strong winds. Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli confirmed the blaze’s persistence, while the country’s disaster management agency, AFAD, stated that over 50,000 residents had been evacuated from five regions—42,000 of them from Izmir alone.
Wildfires have become increasingly frequent and intense along Turkey’s coastline in recent years, a trend scientists attribute to the growing impacts of human-induced climate change, including hotter and drier summers.
Meanwhile, in France, fires erupted on Sunday in the Aude department of the southwest, where temperatures soared above 40°C (104°F). The fires burned around 400 hectares, forcing the evacuation of a campsite and a historic abbey. Although officials said the fires were under control by Monday, they were not yet fully extinguished. Meteo France placed 84 out of 101 departments under orange alert for extreme heat, expecting peak temperatures on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Western Europe Suffers Under Extreme Heat
People across Western Europe struggled to cope with the soaring temperatures. At the Wimbledon tennis tournament in London, fans braved scorching heat, while tourists in Rome and Seville sought shelter from the blazing sun. “It’s around 20 degrees hotter than what I’m used to,” said Scott Henderson, a visitor from Scotland attending Wimbledon. “I’m sunburnt all over.”
Spain’s national weather agency, AEMET, warned the country may be experiencing its hottest June on record. Forecasters predicted the extreme heat would continue at least through Thursday. In Seville, where global leaders convened for a UN summit, temperatures hit 42°C, with one municipal worker calling the conditions “awful” and saying shade was a constant necessity. The highest recorded temperature reached 43.7°C in El Granado.
In Italy, the Health Ministry issued red alerts for 16 major cities, including Rome and Milan. Lombardy, a key industrial region in the north, is considering a daytime ban on outdoor work, responding to union demands for worker safety.
Water Warnings and Energy Strain Across the Continent
Germany also faced significant heat, with parts of its western and southwestern regions reaching up to 34°C on Monday. Authorities urged citizens to reduce water usage. Low water levels in the Rhine River disrupted cargo transport, leading to higher shipping costs, according to commodity traders.
The heatwave also triggered a spike in electricity prices in Germany and France as demand for air conditioning and cooling soared.
Health experts expressed concern about vulnerable groups, including the elderly, infants, outdoor laborers, and economically disadvantaged individuals. According to Swiss Re, extreme heat is responsible for up to 480,000 deaths globally each year—surpassing fatalities from floods, earthquakes, and hurricanes combined—and also poses major risks to infrastructure, healthcare systems, and the global economy.
Scientists continue to warn that climate change, driven by greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels, is the primary factor behind the growing frequency and intensity of heatwaves. Last year was officially recorded as the hottest year ever on Earth.
