Spain is heading for record temperatures in June that have not occurred in four decades, and its firefighters are battling to control forest fires, a region in France has banned outdoor events, and drought has chased out Italian farmers, while the Czech Republic is preparing for fires and possible transportation damage. via rail.

In Spain, firefighters struggled to control wildfires raging in several regions of the country on Saturday, amid drought and winds, while a heat wave raised temperatures to near record levels.

The Spanish Meteorological Authority said that the country is heading today, Saturday, towards recording the highest temperatures it has witnessed in early summer in decades, with temperatures expected to range between 40 and 42 degrees Celsius in Zaragoza (northeast of the country) and the regions of Navarra and La Rioja (north).

The regions of Samoura (near the border with Portugal) and Catalonia (in the east) were among the regions most affected by the forest fires, and there were no reports of deaths or injuries.

The regional government of Castile and Leon, where Samora is located, said nearly 20,000 hectares of land had burned in the Sierra de la Culebra mountain range, and that the fires were "still raging".

Catalan firefighters said they expected Saturday to be "difficult" due to "significantly high temperatures and strong south winds".

A woman covers her head from the sun on a hot day in the Spanish capital, Madrid (Reuters)

France

France is still witnessing a severe heat wave originating from the Maghreb, and temperatures in the west of the country on Saturday reached record levels exceeding 40 degrees.

"It is the earliest seasonal heat wave that has been recorded in France" since 1947, said climatologist at the French Meteorological Service Mathieu Sorel, indicating that it is an indication of "climate change."

French Health Minister Brigitte Bourguignon also said - during a visit to a nursing home in the southwest of the country on Friday - that France is facing a "very early heat wave; a strong wave that will continue more than expected," adding that "the hospital has certainly reached its maximum potential, but it meets the demand".

Residents are changing habits to adapt, like Daniel Tofaloni, 64, a farmer in the eastern Pyrenees department near the border with Spain, who said he changed his working hours to evening "before dark" in his greenhouses where he grows tomatoes.

France - especially in the southwest of the country - was hit by an unprecedented heat wave originating from Morocco (Getty Images)

And yesterday, Friday, the Mediterranean coast in France turned into a “climate hell”, when a strong gust of hot wind caused temperatures to rise to 37 degrees Celsius from 22 degrees Celsius within 3 hours, a rare climatic phenomenon known as a “thermal explosion.” According to Bloomberg News.

It is noteworthy that in 2015, 4 heat waves during the summer caused about 1,700 deaths, according to a study conducted by the Public Health Agency, and published in April 2019.

Czech Republic

The Czech Republic is preparing for a tropical heat wave this weekend, with temperatures expected to reach 37 degrees Celsius in some places.

Radio Prague International reported that paramedics and firefighters are standing by due to the high possibility of fires, and doctors have advised the elderly, the chronically ill and children to stay out of the sun, increase fluid intake and avoid stress.

Experts warn of potential repercussions for rail transport, as the rails can be damaged by extreme heat.

According to meteorologists, the heat wave is expected to break next Monday.

Portugal

In Portugal, the Portuguese Meteorological Agency said on Friday that last month was the hottest in 92 years, warning that most of the region is suffering from a severe drought.

Water levels are dropping in reservoirs in Portugal, and the Bravora Dam (south) is among the worst affected, as it is only 15% filled.

European beaches crowded with people as a result of the unprecedented rise in temperatures (Getty Images)

Parks and swimming pools were crowded with people in many European countries.

Mediterranean countries are increasingly concerned about how climate change will affect their economies and the lives of their citizens.

And yesterday, Friday, the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, Ibrahim Thiao, called - during a conference in Madrid on the occasion of World Drought Day - to "act now" to confront drought and desertification in order to prevent "human disasters".

For scientists, the multiplication, intensification and prolonged heat waves exacerbated by greenhouse gas emissions are an unmistakable signal of global warming.