Europe is being scorched by a lingering heatwave, sparking droughts in Spain and fires in Portugal
In France, authorities have cancelled traditional fireworks displays in many areas as the fire risk remains too high.
The fireworks were due to commemorate the country’s national day of celebration, Bastille Day.
Bonne Fête Nationale! It is Bastille Day here in France. It is usually a boisterous holiday with many fireworks events and picnics organised. For obvious reasons, most of those have been cancelled. Here is a #throwback to a previous year, and the fab… https://t.co/YNzJwLChNB pic.twitter.com/YCq4HVYP6N
— HH Lifestyle Travel (@HHLifestyleTrav) July 14, 2020
The high temperatures in Spain will peak on Thursday.
Even the country’s northern regions are being impacted, areas which usually dodge these extreme weather conditions.
It comes as tourists flock to Europe for their annual summer holidays.
In Portugal, authorities say an unprecedented 80 per cent of the nation is currently at an ‘exceptional’ risk of fires.
Extreme heat is hitting Europe with Seville reaching 41C while France & Germany are expected to experience similar highs. Italy is under drought orders. Portugal is on fire with hydro plants limited. These are no longer temperature anomalies. This is the new normal. pic.twitter.com/hKKMpy9vT2
— Peter Dynes (@PGDynes) July 12, 2022
The government has put the whole of the mainland under a state of contingency until Friday.
On Monday, July 11 there were 2000 firefighters deployed across at least 30 blazes.
Several of the major fires have now been extinguished, but thousands of hectares of forest have been lost.
Around the world, heatwaves are becoming more frequent, more intense and longer as global warming worsens.
