When news still come from the massive wildfire in AlmerÃa, Spain (its death toll at 13 already), more wildfires are being declared around Europe amid the new heatwave. Such is the case near Paris, as Reuters reports, where a fast-moving blaze tore through the Fontainebleau, a historic forest about 70 km from Paris. The fire has forced the closure of the A6 highway, evacuations of 800 people, and the need of water-bombing aircraft in the Greater Paris area.
With overlapping heatwaves (and "heat domes"), drought, and wildfires, it's been a harsh season in Western Europe. France counts its third heatwave of the season, with 26 million under red warning, while Italy fears another week of extreme heat and Spain struggling with its biggest fire in history.
Consequences though go beyond the flames, as heat and dry conditions damage crops, disrupt nuclear power output, and for example affect freight transport on the Rhine in Germany, which also strains livestock farming and contributes to excess deaths. European data links the late-June heatwave to more than 10,000 excess deaths across the continent.