As a heat wave engulfs France, the Gironde Department in Bordeaux has banned outdoor events as well as indoor events that do not have air conditioning.
The temperature reached a high of 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius) this past Thursday, and temperatures are anticipated to keep climbing to 41-42 C.
The Prime Minister, Elisabeth Borne, explained that some departments in the south have been placed under what is called “vigilance rouge” – the highest alert level.
The Interior Ministry of France stated via Twitter: “Do not expose yourself to the weather and be extremely careful.”
Local Official Fabienne Buccio was quoted as saying, “Everyone now faces a health risk.”
This early heat wave is being caused by a mass of hot air that is moving in from north Africa. It is already causing horrific forest fires in the Lozere region where at least 100 firefighters fought off a blaze that consumed 70 hectares of forest.
The highest temperature on record in France was 46 degrees Celsius (115 degrees Fahrenheit) back on June 28, 2019 in Verargus, a southern village.
Spain is also dealing with this early heatwave. Both France and Spain have registered their hottest May temperatures on record. In Pissos located in southwest France, the temperature hit 107 degrees Fahrenheit this past Friday while at the Valencia airport in Spain the mercury reached 102 degrees Fahrenheit. It was 111.5 degrees Fahrehenit in Andujar, Spain, on Friday.
Hundreds of baby Swift birds, a protected species, have been cooked to death in the overwhelming Spain heat as they tried to leave their extremely hot nests which are built as enclosed habitats usually in hollows in buildings made metal or concrete. This makes for oven conditions, so the baby birds have been trying to escape only to succumb to the heat outside.
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