The authorities of several countries are struggling to contain the repercussions of the heat wave, with record temperatures recorded in Europe and North Africa, as the death toll in Spain alone rose to more than 500 people, while the fires approached Athens.

During a trip to the fire-affected northern region of Aragon, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Wednesday that the heat wave that has hit Spain for about 10 days has killed "more than 500 people".

In Greece, a forest fire fanned by strong winds erupted in the mountains near Athens on Wednesday, forcing hundreds - including hospital patients - to evacuate.

Thick clouds of smoke covered the sky over Mount Pentele, as about 500 firefighters, 120 fire engines and 15 water-laden planes were trying to put out the blaze.

Activists and journalists broadcast on social media clips of large fires in the mountains and forests of the area surrounding the capital, with firefighting teams trying to put out the fires.

It's almost dark and fire has grown a lot from this view from Agia Paraskevi in ​​last half hour.

#Πυρκαγια #Pendeli #greecefire #Greece #fire #wildfire #athens pic.twitter.com/CdGDOBPIYf

— Rachelle Galloway-Popotas (@owlinatree) July 19, 2022

It also showed other footage of fires erupting near homes, and people trying to put them out through tree branches.

Locals in #Ντραφι fighting the fire with their hands.

#πυρκαγιας #φωτια #fires #wildfires #fire #Athens #Greece @CGTNEurope pic.twitter.com/tgmJQysPNr

— Evangelo Sipsas (@EvangeloSipsas) July 20, 2022

France and Britain

In France, where firefighters in the southwestern La Gironde region have been battling for a week to contain massive wildfires, Agriculture Minister Marc Vesnot said more money was needed to tackle such threats.

"We have to face a very exceptional situation," he said, referring to the damage done to Brittany and southern France.

President Emmanuel Macron visited the La Gironde region today, Wednesday, to support the efforts of the firefighters and the rest of the participants in fighting the fires.

Al-Jazeera correspondent stated that most of the fires in La Gironde have been contained, but firefighting teams are still on alert.

He added that these fires are the largest in the history of France, as 37,000 people have been evacuated so far.

And meteorologists announced the possibility of dry storms without rain in the Lagerund region, which may increase the chances of fires spreading or igniting in new areas.

The Air Quality Observatory also announced that the smoke reached Paris, 500 kilometers away, affecting the purity of the air.

In Britain, firefighters worked all night to put out forest fires, and engineers rushed today, Wednesday, to repair train tracks affected by the heat, while the United Kingdom woke up to the repercussions of the hottest day in its history with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius for the first time.

Tuesday was the London Fire Service's busiest day since World War Two, with blazes razing dozens of buildings in the capital and flames reaching dry grasslands on both sides of railroads and roads.

Trains running from London to the east coast of England were canceled until at least Wednesday afternoon after a fire near Peterborough in central England damaged signaling equipment.

Germany and Italy

On the other hand, the navigation authorities said today, Wednesday, that the weather also caused chaos in the transport networks in Germany, as the water level on the Rhine River decreased significantly, forcing cargo ships to sail with less loads and obstructing shipping on the entire river in Germany south of Duisburg.

Meanwhile, firefighting teams in the Italian region of Tuscany battled a forest fire that forced hundreds of residents from their homes and caused gas tanks to ignite, while shipbuilder Fincantieri was forced to close a factory that employs 3,000 people due to a fire in the northeast of the country.

Meanwhile, the United Nations has called on world leaders to "be aware" of the problem behind heat waves such as those currently sweeping Europe, which may become more frequent due to climate change until at least 2060.

"These heat waves are becoming more frequent due to climate change" and will increase in the coming decades, World Meteorological Organization Secretary-General Petteri Taalas told a news conference in Geneva.

"I hope this type of weather will raise awareness in many governments," Taalas added of the current heat wave.

North Africa

In turn, the Tunisian authorities said that the situation is difficult in the Jebel Boukernin fire in the southern suburbs of the capital, but the relatively low wind speed may help contain the fire in a shorter time.

Government spokesman Nasr al-Din al-Nusabi indicated that it was difficult to reach the fire due to the complex terrain, and that the army would carry out air sorties in the coming hours to contain the fire, adding that the priority was to put out the fires near inhabited places.

Al-Jazeera correspondent in Tunisia stated that no human or material losses were recorded in the affected areas, adding that an investigation would be opened into the causes of the fires, and to ensure that they were not provoked.

In Morocco, residents of the areas of Larache and Chefchaouen that were hit by the fires are working to restore their homes and repair what they can of their possessions.

The people are waiting for the aid promised by the Moroccan authorities to restore life to these areas, especially those located in the rugged and mountainous heights.