France and England Battle Multiple Forest Fires Amid Record Heat

Firefighters across France and in central England are battling multiple fires today, as a new wave of record heat grips much of Europe.

Their work is further complicated by the fact that the landscapes are extremely dry.

As France records its driest year on record, a new fire broke out overnight, spreading through the forested area in the Landes region in the southwest of the country.

The fire forced more than 500 people to leave their homes in the town of Luglon, while several hundred firefighters were deployed in the area, the regional administration announced today.

This is one of several fires that have affected forests across France this week, including areas in the north and in Brittany, which are usually cooler and wetter.

A historically large fire last month consumed forests near Bordeaux and forced a quarter of a million people to leave their homes.

As the United Kingdom recorded its hottest day of the year, fires quickly spread across the West Midlands, with several houses completely destroyed.

Chief Fire Officer Simon Tuhill stated that these were “some of the most significant” fires the regional fire service has faced in its history.

According to data from the National Fire Chiefs Council, there have been 1,017 outdoor fires in England and Wales this year.

The fires broke out during the hottest day of the year, on Thursday, when the temperature in west London reached 38.1 degrees.

In France, temperatures yesterday reached 41 degrees in several areas, from Aquitaine in the southwest to the Rhone Valley in the east, according to the national meteorological service.

Temperatures are forecast to be similarly high today, before beginning to drop over the weekend.

These historically high temperatures are linked to human-induced climate change and are particularly affecting countries that are mostly adapted to long and cold seasons and are not sufficiently equipped for such heat, among other reasons due to limited use of air conditioning.

In northern Greece, more than 300 tourists and residents were evacuated by sea yesterday after a forest fire swept through a pine forest and threatened homes along the coast, authorities said.