Southwest Europe baked under sweltering temperatures on Friday for a fifth day, with the heat sparking devastating wildfires, forcing the evacuations of thousands and ruining holidays.
Armies of firefighters battled blazes in France, Portugal and Spain as Britain braced for 'extreme heat' in coming days and even Irish forecasters predicted a taste of blistering Mediterranean-style summer temperatures.
As French President Emmanuel Macron vowed authorities would do everything to mobilise resources to fight the fallout, the Bordeaux public prosecutor indicated a 'criminal' origin was its main line of inquiry for at least one fire near the southwestern city.
The furnace engulfing swathes of southwest Europe is the second in weeks, with scientists blaming climate change and predicting more frequent and intense episodes of extreme weather.
Some of the worst fires have been in Portugal, where the pilot of a firefighting plane died on Friday when his plane crashed while on an operation in the north east.
In Portugal, five regions in the centre and north - where temperatures hit a July record 47 Celsius on Thursday before dropping back - were on red alert again Friday as more than 2,000 firefighters tackled four major blazes.
Spain was struggling to contain several fires, including two that have burned about 7,400 hectares or 18,200 acres.
In southern Andalusia, Spain, 3,000 people were evacuated from villages in danger from a blaze started near the village of Mijas in the province of Malaga.
Scorching summer heatwave throws Britain into more chaos
After strikes, transport disruption, soaring inflation, a jump in COVID-19 infections and even the resignation of its prime minister, now the sweltering summer is about to add to the havoc in the UK.
The Met Office issued its most severe warning for next week, with temperatures set to rise above 35 degrees Celsius (95 Fahrenheit) in parts of England, including London, and might hit national records exceeding 40 degrees. The red alert, with potential power outages, cancelled flights and a danger to life, was triggered for the first time and is in place for Monday and Tuesday.
The government has convened an emergency Cobra meeting on Saturday to prepare contingency plans for the heatwave. While Transport for London advised customers to only travel if necessary.
It all adds to the chaos in a nation that’s grappling with messy politics and a wilting economy. While supermarkets expect ice cream sales to also reach records and coastal resorts welcome people to cool down, the custodians of the UK’s infrastructure are flagging the worst-case scenarios.
The electricity infrastructure is straining under the heat and as cooling systems ramp up, a lack of wind is reducing supplies. The railway network, which in the past has seen cables snap and tracks buckle, is reducing speed on services. The National Health Service is concerned hospitals that are already overwhelmed will see a spike in patients suffering from the heat.
No comments:
Post a Comment