Heatwave triggers weather, wildfire alerts across Europe

STRONG WINDS DRIVE MORE THAN 90 WEEKEND WILDFIRES IN GREECE

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Europe is braced for wildfire threats and scorching weather, as a heatwave engulfs the region this week.

The highest red heat alerts have been issued for 12 departments in southwest France, where temperatures as high as 43°C were forecast for areas near Bordeaux and Toulouse. Amber heat warnings are in place for a swath of the Mediterranean from Spain and Italy to Greece, as a high-pressure system is amplified by former tropical storm Dexter.

Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of heatwaves in Europe, the world’s fastest warming continent. That’s triggering more extreme weather events, including the deadly wildfires that ravaged Aude in southwest France last week.