A new heat wave is forecast to develop across Western Europe this week, with forecasters warning that soaring temperatures, dry conditions and strengthening winds could intensify the wildfire threat across parts of the continent, including in areas where firefighters are already battling several active blazes.
This latest spell of extreme heat will be the fourth heat wave to affect Europe since May, with temperatures expected to climb to 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) or higher in parts of France, Spain and Portugal.
Officials have warned that a combination of exceptional heat, parched vegetation, gusty winds and a prolonged lack of rainfall will dangerously increase the likelihood of new fires igniting and of existing blazes spreading.
According to the European Forest Fire Information System, parts of southwestern France and northern Spain are forecast to remain under “very extreme fire conditions” — the highest category in its fire danger forecast — through at least Wednesday. Areas of Portugal, Britain and Ireland are also facing the same elevated level of fire danger.
In Spain, AEMET, the country’s weather service, said the latest heat wave was expected to last until at least Sunday, with temperatures reaching 42 degrees Celsius (nearly 108 Fahrenheit) or even higher, particularly across southern areas. The service warned that the mix of high temperatures, gusty winds and very low humidity would heighten fire risks.
France is also bracing for another surge of heat, with temperatures expected to reach 40 degrees Celsius in parts of the country, especially in the southwest. Météo-France, the country’s weather service, warned that the return of dry and very hot conditions would further increase wildfire risks, with the number of regions facing high fire danger expected to rise across much of the country from Wednesday.
The Mistral and Tramontane winds — powerful, dry winds that can sweep through southern France and rapidly worsen wildfire conditions — were expected on Monday in the country’s Mediterranean areas, although conditions were forecast to become calmer from Tuesday.
Météo-France also said that as of July 22, soil moisture levels across France had reached unprecedented lows, compounding the risk of wildfires.
