France recorded an increase of more than 2,000 deaths during the last week of a record-breaking European heatwave in June, according to Public Health France. This marked a 29% rise in deaths compared to the previous week, with a notable increase in fatalities among those over 45, as reported by French health minister Stéphanie Rist.

Record Temperatures and Red Alerts

The nation saw its hottest day ever on average country-wide on 24 June, with temperatures hitting nearly 41°C in Paris, but Half of France was under a red heat alert during the peak of the heatwave. The French government warned that the recorded death toll may be an underestimate, as the health ministry stated mortality would likely be higher than these initial figures.

Meanwhile, parts of Europe, including the UK, are preparing for more extreme temperatures this weekend. According to BBC Weather. A large area of high pressure is building from the Azores toward Portugal and Spain, with heat expected to rise across France and southern Britain by the weekend.

Heatwave Impact Across Europe

Belgium also experienced a significant rise in deaths during the same heatwave, recording 1,222 excess deaths,39% more than usual. Nearly half of these deaths were among people aged 85 and over, according to the country’s health ministry, which called the number of deaths during a heatwave ‘historic.’

In the Netherlands, Dutch authorities reported approximately 480 excess deaths in the previous week, most of which were among individuals aged 80 and older; Temperatures in the country reached nearly 40°C, with the majority of deaths occurring in the south and east where temperatures were highest.

France’s Public Health agency announced that the number of deaths recorded between 22 and 28 June increased by 2,025—nearly 30%, and In the Paris region alone, deaths rose by 62%. Drowning deaths also surged during the heatwave, with Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez reporting 72 drowning-related deaths since 18 June.

Wildfires and Evacuations

High temperatures and dry conditions have also led to increased wildfire activity. Météo-France issued red alerts for forest fires in the southern part of the country, warning that the risk of an outbreak was ‘very high’ compared to summer norms. Nearly 7. 000 fires have broken out since the start of the summer season, according to Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu, with about 8,700 hectares burned so far.

In the town of Sainte-Marie-la-Mer. Nearly 3,000 people were evacuated after a wildfire spread to Canet-en-Roussillon; On the Iberian Peninsula, Aemet weather service warned of the possibility of another heatwave. Portugal’s government declared a state of alert, which will remain in place until midnight on Tuesday, while Temperatures are expected to exceed 40°C in some areas, with overnight temperatures above 25°C.

Spain is also bracing for high temperatures, with areas of the southwest on orange alert as 40°C is expected in some parts. In the US, millions of Americans celebrating the July Fourth holiday weekend are also being affected by prolonged extreme heat and high humidity in parts of the central and eastern US.