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WEATHER

Forest fires rage in scorching France and Spain

A summer heatwave that has triggered devastating forest fires across southwest Europe showed no signs of abating Sunday, as parts of France and Spain readied for new temperature records early next week.

Published: 17 July 2022 09:14 CEST
Updated: 17 July 2022 15:50 CEST
A plane flies near the smoke from a forest fire in Cazaux, France
A Canadair plane flies near the smoke from a fire near southwestern France's Cazaux, which was evacuated in the early afternoon of July 14, 2022. (Photo by THIBAUD MORITZ / AFP)

Firefighters in France and Spain are battling forest blazes that have ravaged thousands of hectares of land and forced scores from their homes since the start of the week.

It is the second heatwave engulfing parts of southwest Europe in weeks as scientists blame climate change and predict more frequent and intense episodes of extreme weather.

Firefighters in France’s southwestern Gironde region were fighting to control two forest blazes that have devoured nearly 11,000 hectares (27,000 acres) since Tuesday.

“It’s a Herculean job,” said Lieutenant-Colonel Olivier Chavatte from the fire and rescue service, which has 1,200 firefighters and five planes in action.

Further evacuation orders were given on Saturday for a few hundred residents, firefighter spokesman Arnaud Mendousse told AFP.

“Several fires are still active in France,” interior minister Gerald Darmanin said in a tweet.

“Our firefighters are fighting the flames with remarkable courage,” he added.

READ ALSO: Firefighters contain ‘mega-fire’ in southern France

Since Tuesday, more than 14,000 people — residents and tourists combined — have been forced to decamp with seven emergency shelters set up in order to receive evacuees.

Meteo France forecast temperatures of up to 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in parts of southern France on Sunday, as well as up to 35 in the northwest, with new heat records expected on Monday.
 
“The heat is intensifying. The heatwave is spreading across the country,” the weather office said.
 
France placed 37 departments, mainly down its Atlantic seaboard, on orange high alert on Sunday.
 
Authorities in the French Alps urged climbers bound for Mont Blanc, Europe’s highest mountain, to postpone their trip due to repeated rock falls caused by “exceptional climatic conditions” and “drought”.
 
The call comes after a section of Italy’s biggest Alpine glacier gave way at the start of the month, killing 11 people — a disaster officials blamed on climate change.
 
Deaths
Spanish authorities reported around 20 wildfires still raging out of control in different parts of the country from the south to Galicia in the far northwest, where blazes have destroyed around 4,500 hectares of land.
 

“So sad to see part of our natural heritage ablaze,” tweeted Spain’s Economy Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Nadia Calvino.

Another fire burning in the Mijas mountain range inland from the southern coastal city of Malaga has so far destroyed about 2,000 hectares of land, local officials said.
 
The fire forced the evacuation of just over 3,000 people but around 2,000 people have since been allowed to return to their homes.
 
 
“We didn’t stop working all night,” regional agriculture minister Carmen Crespo told Spanish public television of efforts to quench the flames.
 
Spain’s national weather office, AEMET, forecast “significantly high” temperatures for most of mainland Spain and the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean on Sunday.
 
The mercury was expected to hit 42C in the northern city of Logrono and 40C in Madrid and the southern city of Seville.
 
A 60-year-old street cleaner in Madrid died on Saturday after suffering heat stroke the day before while working, local officials said. 

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WEATHER

Will we see the sun in France over May’s Ascension holiday week?

As people in France prepare to enjoy the two consecutive bank holidays, warmer temperatures are finally in sight. Here is what to expect in terms of weather for the 'pont de l'Ascension' week in France.

Published: 6 May 2024 12:09 CEST
Will we see the sun in France over May's Ascension holiday week?

Forecasters in France expect warmer, sunnier weather for the days ahead, after several weeks of clouds and cold temperatures.

Unfortunately, in order to enjoy the sun you’ll have to wait through a few more days of rain. Here is what to expect for the rest of the week and the long weekend;

Monday

Rain is the dominating weather characteristic of the day, especially over Occitanie, PACA, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Burgundy-Franche-Comté and the Grand-Est. Over in the west, skies will be mostly cloudy, and residents in Brittany and Normandy can expect storms later in the day, which could spread into parts of Centre-Val de Loire.

Where it’s not raining, it will be mostly cloudy, with temperatures expected to rise to between 14C to 18C across most of the country, but could reach 21C on the Mediterranean coast and 26C in western Corsica.

Tuesday

More rain. With the exception of the far west of the country, which will get a preview of conditions to come as Tuesday goes on, rain is the weather order of the day, with storms predicted in southern areas from mid-afternoon and into the evening. 

Maximum temperatures are expected to range from 14C to 19C in the north of France, and from 11C to 20C in the southern half.

Wednesday May 8th – Public holiday for Victory in Europe day

The long public holiday weekend arrives, along with the sun. Other than in the far north early on, expect sunshine and mostly blue skies – though occasionally stormy showers may develop in the southeast later on. 

Temperatures of between 17C and 20C are forecast in the northern half of the country, and between 18C and 21C further south.

The map below from Météo France gives a better idea of the weather across France on Wednesday afternoon.

Weather forecast for France on Wednesday May 8th. Météo France

Thursday – Public holiday for Ascension

Mild. Dry. Sunny. Your three-word forecast for Thursday. There may be a few clouds in northern France, but the south is wall-to-wall sunshine for most of the day. Isolated storms may develop in the southern Alps late in the day.

Temperatures of between 18C and 20C are forecast in the northern half of the country, and between 19C and 24C further south.

Friday – Pont de l’Ascension – Day off for many with schools closed in France

Overcast conditions return in the northern half of the country on Friday, to remind everyone that it’s not quite summer yet, but the skies remain clear in the south, with temperatures expected to climb past 25C in the southwest of the country.

Weekend

Other than a few thunderstorms in the south of the country, expect dry, warm, sunny weather across the whole of France over the weekend, with early summer temperatures reaching into the upper 20s celsius to match.

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