More than half of France under red alerts as heatwave intensifies

More than half of France is under “red alert” heatwave conditions as temperatures intensify, with 49 of the country’s 96 regions affected. Weather forecaster Météo-France expects highs above 40C (104F) across parts of western France on Monday, including 43C in Bordeaux. An additional set of regions remains on “orange alert,” with an estimated 63 million people impacted nationwide. After a weekend where temperatures reached 40C, authorities in the context of large crowds at the annual Fête de la Musique imposed an alcohol ban. In Gironde, local officials said three people aged 80 to 95 died on Sunday, partly attributed to the heat. Stéphanie Rist, France’s health minister, warned that many “fellow citizens will suffer.” Logistics measures include closure of 845 schools, early release for 1,800 students, reduced SNCF service in Paris, and partial Belgian train cancellations; peaks of 39C in Madrid and 37C in Rome are also forecast.