Britain braces for record temperatures as heatwave ripples across Europe

Madrid / Lisbon July 18 (Reuters)-Firefighters are on fire throughout Southern Europe as the UK is heading for record highs and heat waves have exacerbated climate change concerns asking people to shade. did.

In Spain, wildfires ran across fields, swallowed excavators near the northern town of Tabara, and flames burned clothes from his back, forcing the driver to run for his life. it was done.read more

In Portugal, half of the city of Murka was on fire and the bodies of an elderly couple trying to escape were found in a “completely burnt car,” the mayor told local broadcaster SIC.read more

In Southern Europe, there were some signs that the situation began to ease after days of high blisters that killed hundreds of people and dangerously dried the countryside, officials said.

However, the heat wave was heading north.

Belgium and Germany expect heat waves to hit them in the next few days, according to the British Meteorological Agency, but temperatures reached 38 degrees Fahrenheit (100 degrees Fahrenheit) on Monday in southern Britain, a record on Tuesday. It is predicted to reach 40 degrees (104 degrees Fahrenheit).read more

The British railroad company canceled the service and some schools were closed, but authorities urged the public to stay home and the government issued a “national emergency” warning.

The flight at Luton Airport was suspended after staff identified a “runway defect”. According to Sky News, the runway at the Royal Air Force’s RAF Brize Norton Air Force Base was melting in hot weather.read more

Sales of fans, hoses, air conditioners and sprinklers are skyrocketing, retailers said.read more

“We hoped we wouldn’t fall into this situation, but we predict it will exceed 40 degrees Celsius for the first time in the UK,” said Dr. Nicos Christidis, a climate attribute scientist at the Met Office.

“Climate change is already affecting the potential for extreme temperatures in the UK. The possibility of seeing a 40 ° C day in the UK is 10 in the current climate than in the natural climate unaffected by humans. It can be twice as high, “he said. ..

“We don’t have anything”

Wildfires raged in Portugal, Spain and France, and authorities warned that if the crater remained dry, there would be even more risk.

The Charles III Institute of Health estimates that Spain faced the final day of a heat wave of more than a week, resulting in more than 510 heat-related deaths.

In Tabara, locals said the excavator driver, the man they identified as Angel Martin Alhona, was trying to dig a ditch between the fire and the building.

However, an orange flame surrounded the vehicle. Television footage showed that when people shouted at him and firefighters rushed to help, he emerged from the flames, stumbled, and scrambled on his feet.

According to witnesses, the driver was burned and airlifted to the hospital, but there were no detailed reports of his condition.

In El Pon de Ringomala, Catalonia, refugees gathered outside the civic center, including a retired Onofremnos, 69, who said his house and van had been completely destroyed.

“I bought a van when I retired, but now it’s completely burnt. There’s nothing,” he said.

EU sends support

In Portugal, temperatures dropped over the weekend, but the risk of wildfires remained very high, the Portuguese Meteorological Research Institute said.

Approximately 1,000 firefighters, supported by 284 vehicles and 18 aircraft, were fighting 10 wildfires, primarily in the northern region, officials said.

The EU sent firefighting planes to Slovenia over the weekend, adding to its recent deployments in France and Portugal.

“Of course, we will continue to monitor the situation during this unprecedented heat wave and mobilize support as needed,” spokesman Baraz Uzivari told the briefing.

The EU’s chief crisis manager told Reuters that the block is in talks with the manufacturer to buy more firefighting aircraft.read more

In the Gironde region of southwestern France, a fire destroyed 14,800 hectares (37,000 acres), local governments said Monday. Over 14,000 people have been evacuated from the area. France has issued the best possible red warning to some areas, urging residents to be “extremely vigilant.”

In Italy, where a small fire broke out, forecasters predict temperatures above 40 ° C in some areas over the next few days.

Switzerland was also affected by the heat wave. Axpo, the operator of the Beznau nuclear power plant, said on Monday that it was forced to reduce production so as not to overheat the Aare River, which pumps cooling water.

Report by Reuters bureau. Written by Raissa Kasolowsky and Andrew Heavens.Edited by Alex Richardson and Rosalva O’Brien

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