New Delhi: France has evacuated more than 14,000 people threatened by wildfires in the south-west, as fires also spread in Spain, Croatia and Greece. Authorities in France’s Gironde, a popular tourist region, have evacuated guards from campsites – the tourists left earlier. Fires have spread in the Teste-de-Buch and Landiras areas.
In southern Spain, more than 3,200 people fled fires in the Mijas hills, though later some were able to return.
Portugal’s fires are contained for now. However, the Portuguese authorities say at least 238 people have died from the heat over the past week.
Across the Mediterranean – from Morocco in the west to Crete in the east – thousands of firefighters and many water bombing aircraft have been deployed.
Heatwaves have become more frequent, more intense, and last longer because of human-induced climate change. The world has already warmed by about 1.1Celsius since the industrial era began and temperatures will keep rising unless governments around the world make steep cuts to carbon emissions.
The French weather service has forecast temperatures of up to 41 Celsius on Sunday and new heat records are predicted for Monday. In Portugal, the temperature recently reached 47 Celsius.
In the UK there is an amber warning for extreme heat, as the country braces for record temperatures on Monday and Tuesday, possibly reaching 41 Celsius in some parts.
Some areas in south-west Turkey and on Croatia’s Adriatic coast are also struggling with wildfires.
In Italy, the government has declared a state of emergency in the desiccated Po Valley – the country’s longest river is no more than a trickle in some places.
