Due to the recent splurge in heat waves across Europe, countries such as France, Spain, and Portugal have fallen victim to wildfires. Thousands of civilians have had to evacuate their homes in search of safety. High-pressure areas were said to be moving hot air from Northern Africa into Europe, where, in some parts, temperatures were predicted to top 40 degrees Celsius.
Heat waves have become more common, stronger, and long lasting as a result of climate change. Since 1880, the earth has warmed 1.1C because of humans. In 2019, in the EU, the energy sector contributed to 77% of greenhouse gas emissions, followed by agriculture which was 10.55%, and industry which was 9.1%. The waste sector was 3.32% of the total. The UK was the fifth-largest producer of CO2 emissions in 2020, producing 78,161 metric tons in 2020. Temperatures won’t stop rising unless there is a cut in carbon emissions, whose enforcement is in the hands of governments worldwide.
Read more: Heatwaves: The next big killer after Covid?
In France, the weather forecast shows temperatures of up to 41C in the south, and new heat records have been predicted. Portugal has recently reached a temperature of 47C. England has had a red warning as parts of it, including London, Manchester, and York will reach extreme heat and record temperatures. The UK Health Security Agency has warned that illness and death may occur “among the fit and healthy”. Deaths in heat waves are usually because of heart attacks and strokes caused by the strain of the body trying to maintain a stable temperature. Across Europe, deaths have also been caused by people drowning as they rush to cool off in the water.
Morocco has also issued over 1,000 people to leave their homes across more than a dozen villages, deploying firefighters to counter the fires in the north, the worst being the Larache province. Greece has experienced wildfires too, in Crete, which were said to be partially contained. Some areas in south-western Turkey and Croatia are also dealing with wildfires. Fires have burned 10,500 hectares in France. In Italy, the river Po has been significantly reduced to almost a trickle in some parts.
30,000 hectares have been burned in Portugal. More than 2,000 firefighters were sent to tackle the four major blazes. This has been the worst fire damage in Portugal since the summer of 2017, where some 100 people died. Between the 7 and 13 of July this year, 238 deaths were registered by Portugal as a result of the heat wave.
In Spain, authorities have reported close to 20 fires still ongoing and uncontrollable. One in the south, near Mijas, had forced around 2,300 people to evacuate and seek shelter. Temperatures in Spain reached 45.4C, just under the all-time high temperature record of 47.4C set in August last year. In the first three days of the heat wave, the nation registered 84 excess deaths attributed to extreme heat.