 "Heatwaves grip Europe: Red alerts, wildfires, Eiffel Tower closed")
A powerful heatwave has gripped much of Europe, triggering red alerts, closing schools and tourist attractions, and worsening wildfires across the continent. Authorities across France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Germany and the UK have issued heat warnings, as temperatures soar to unprecedented levels.
Major news outlets, including the BBC, Associated Press, and the Guardian, have reported straining infrastructure and endangering of lives as high temperatures persist.
Spain records century's hottest June
Spain continues to face scorching conditions, with Barcelona recording its hottest June in over a century. According to Spain’s national weather service, the Can Fabra Observatory, situated on a hill overlooking the city, reported an average monthly temperature of 26 degrees Celsius, the highest since records began in 1914. The previous record was 25.6 degrees Celsius, set during the heatwave of 2003.
On Monday, June 30, the same station registered a daily high of 37.9 degrees Celsius, setting a new benchmark for the city in June.
Barcelona, which is usually shielded from Spain’s most intense heat by its geography, has not been spared this time. Much of the country remains in the grip of the year’s first major heatwave.
France under red alert
Paris and 15 other cities in France are under red weather warnings. The top of the Eiffel Tower was closed until at least Tuesday, July 1, amid forecasts of 41 degrees Celsius in the capital. Since June 19, nearly 200 schools nationwide have been either fully or partially closed due to the heat.
UK sees historic temperatures
The UK is also experiencing unusually high temperatures. On Monday, Heathrow Airport recorded 33.1 degrees Celsius, the nation’s highest daily temperature so far this year, while Wimbledon saw 32.9 degrees Celsius, marking the hottest opening day in the tournament’s history. Health officials have urged the public to stay hydrated and avoid outdoor activity during peak heat hours.
Germany and Switzerland feel the strain
In Germany, red alerts have been issued across districts west of Cologne and in the south. Critically low water levels on the Rhine River, a major shipping route, are forcing cargo vessels to reduce their loads, increasing transport costs and impacting supply chains.
In neighbouring Switzerland, red warnings are in place for violent alpine thunderstorms, triggered by the extreme heat destabilising local weather systems.
Two dead as Italy enacts emergency measures
Italy has placed 21 cities, including Rome, Milan and Venice, on its highest heat alert. Several regions have enacted regulations banning outdoor work during the hottest parts of the day until mid-September. Florence is expected to reach 40 degrees Celsius by midweek. On Tuesday, the BBC reported two heat-related deaths: a construction worker in Bologna and a 70-year-old man who drowned during flash floods west of Turin.
50,000+ flee from wildfires in Turkiye and the Balkans
In Turkiye, more than 50,000 people have been evacuated due to spreading wildfires, particularly in the western province of Izmir. High winds and dry conditions have helped flames spread into populated areas.
Similar situations are unfolding in Croatia and Montenegro, both of which are under red heat alerts. Fires have erupted along the Adriatic coast, and Montenegro has issued an extreme temperature warning.
Wildfires near Athens force evacuations
Greece is also enduring high temperatures approaching 40 degrees Celsius. Wildfires near Athens have forced evacuations and destroyed homes, adding to the pressure on emergency services already stretched thin.
UN urges action against climate change
In a post on X, UN Secretary General António Guterres described the heatwave as another indicator of the worsening global climate crisis.
“Extreme heat is no longer a rare event — it has become the new normal. The planet is getting hotter & more dangerous — no country is immune,” he wrote.
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk also sounded the alarm in Geneva.
“Rising temperatures, rising seas, floods, droughts, and wildfires threaten our rights to life, to health, to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, and much more,” he said while speaking at the UN's Human Rights Council.
Now in its second week, the heatwave is expected to peak midweek before some regions see relief from cooling rain. Meteorologists have warned that these extreme events are becoming increasingly frequent and severe, driven by ongoing global warming.