A heat wave sweeps Spain and France, and fears of forest fires due to the intense heat | Weather News

In Spain, they expect the mercury to rise above 40 degrees these days. Temperatures are expected to reach 43 degrees in the cities of Seville and southern Cordoba. To the north, the Spanish meteorological service AEMAT reports temperatures as high as 39 degrees. Temperatures will drop again by the end of the week.

Spanish Environment Minister Teresa Ribera described the situation as “extremely worrying”. The “early heat wave with record temperatures” comes on top of another heat wave that was just less than a month ago. Temperatures are 7 to 12 degrees above seasonal standards and the risk of fires is very high in most parts of the country, according to AEMAT.

Also, on Tuesday, warm African air arrived in France. There they are expecting temperatures between 35 and 39 degrees this week. Locally, mercury can rise to 40 degrees. This will be the first heat wave since measurements began in France. That Météo-France reports. The French also fear wildfires and crop failures due to a heat wave, after a particularly warm and dry spring. 36 departments have already imposed restrictions on water use.

France’s prime minister, Elisabeth Borne, announced a “full mobilization” to tackle the heat wave and announced a meeting with local authorities on Tuesday “to ensure that all necessary measures are taken”.