Southern Europe on climate alert

A wave of extreme heat has hit southern Europe, setting historic temperature records and triggering emergency measures in several countries, in a context in which authorities are also facing increased risks of forest fires and serious effects on the health of the population.

• Historical temperatures in the Iberian Peninsula

Spain reached a new national record for the month of June on Saturday: 46°C in the city of Huelva, close to the border with Portugal, according to the Spanish Meteorological Agency (AEMET). Sunday, June 29, was the hottest day in more than 70 years. Portugal also reported a temperature of 46.6°C in Mora, also setting an absolute record for the month of June. Warnings of extreme temperatures and severe storms have been issued for several regions in both countries, especially in border areas.

• Italy - between code red and local tragedies

The Italian Ministry of Health has issued a code red for 17 cities, including Rome, Milan and Florence. The heat wave is unusually long, Italian meteorologists warn. In Potenza, a 77-year-old woman died of asphyxiation from smoke from a bushfire that engulfed a residential area. At the same time, Italian authorities have begun setting up so-called "climate shelters” - cool spaces for the vulnerable population.

• France - general alert in 84 departments

France is experiencing a heat wave of "unprecedented” geographical scope, declared the Minister of Ecological Transition, Agnès Pannier-Runacher. 84 of the country's 95 departments are under orange alert, with temperatures forecast to exceed 40°C in some regions. Around 200 schools have been closed or partially closed, and companies have been asked to take special measures to protect their employees.

• Forest fires

Wildfires have intensified in Portugal and Italy. In Castelo Branco (Portugal), 160 firefighters were battling the flames by Monday morning. In Spain, two people working outdoors died from heatstroke, and unions are calling for stricter rules for working outdoors in hot weather.

The heatwave has also reached the United Kingdom, affecting the first day of the prestigious Wimbledon tennis tournament. London and four other regions have been placed under an orange alert. Experts warn that heatwaves are becoming more frequent, more intense and longer lasting - a direct effect of climate change. In some countries, such as France, the impact of the heatwave is overlapping with the last days of the school year, putting parents, teachers and authorities in difficulty.

With summers becoming increasingly hot, southern Europe appears to be entering a new climate normal, in which the survival of communities increasingly depends on the adaptation of infrastructure and the responsiveness of authorities.