Portugal It was the first country where mercury fully penetrated its roof in recent days. On Thursday, a new temperature record was set for July, when a meteorological station in the northern city of Binhau recorded a staggering 47.0 degrees Celsius. The previous record was set in 1995 in Amarilla, southeast of the country, when the temperature was still 46.5 degrees Celsius. Amarilla also had the highest temperature ever recorded in Portugal: 47.4°C, in August 2003.
Extreme heat has caused severe forest fires in Portugal in recent weeks. From the start of this year through mid-June, 39,550 hectares of trees have already been burned – more than three times what was burned in the same period last year – and an additional 25,000 hectares have been added in recent weeks. Yesterday temperatures finally dropped in Portugal, which should give the fire service some relief.
The Portuguese Ministry of Health reported late last night that 659 died of heat in the past seven days. It was mainly about the elderly. The peak was recorded on Thursday, when 440 people died in temperatures above 40 degrees. A measuring station in the center of the Portuguese city of Viseu recorded 47 degrees Celsius.
also in Spain Already broke records last week. Thursday was the warmest night on record in Madrid, with temperatures not dropping below 26.2 degrees Celsius. This was followed by the hottest day ever in the Spanish capital, with the temperature hitting 40.7 degrees Celsius. Same record August 14 last year. On Friday, the mercury rose above 45 degrees in some places in the country.
The high temperature has claimed at least 360 lives in Spain since last Sunday. The Spanish Institute of Health Carlos III reported this to the newspaper “La Vanguardia” yesterday. This also mainly concerns the elderly or people who have already been sick, but the young can also succumb to the heat. For example, on Friday a 60-year-old street sweeper suddenly collapsed. Emergency services that arrived at the scene recorded a body temperature of 41.6 degrees. The man was taken to the hospital, but died there.
In Spain, the authorities advise residents to drink enough water, postpone strenuous physical activities if possible and only leave the house in the morning or evening. In the coming days, the mercury is expected to fall to values below 40 degrees in many places.
This is also good news for the fire service, which is trying to get the country’s many wildfires under control. Yesterday, emergency services reported that more than 3,000 people have already been evacuated due to wildfires near the city of Mijas, in the tourist province of Málaga. In Casas de Miravete in the western region of Extremadura, 3,000 hectares of forest were burned and two villages had to be evacuated. Thick black plumes of smoke are also rising in the northwestern regions of Castile, Leon and Galicia.
France The same fate, but the worst was yet to come. Wildfires in the Gironde have been burning around Bordeaux since Tuesday and have already destroyed 10,500 hectares of nature, according to New Balance from the province. The fire is still out of control. On Saturday night, many campsites around the Dune du Pilat were once again threatened by fire. Thousands have previously been evacuated from the camp as a precaution. Yesterday afternoon, according to the authorities, the number of displaced people reached 14,000.
The Gironde forest fires are the result of the intense heat in France, which spreads from Portugal and Spain to our regions. The heat is expected to reach its peak tomorrow in our southern neighbours, with temperatures ranging from 35 to 40 degrees and even higher. 38 out of 96 departments in France have announced an orange symbol, urging residents to be vigilant.
The same story in United kingdom. There, the British Met Office, for the first time in history, issued a code red in parts of England for “extreme heat” on Mondays and Tuesdays. Record-breaking is expected, with temperatures reaching 40 degrees. According to the Bureau of Meteorology, “life is at risk,” especially among the frail elderly.
There was an emergency cabinet meeting yesterday afternoon. British Health Secretary Steve Barclay has called on family members at risk, acquaintances and neighbours, to exercise caution. Additional capacity for ambulances has also been provided. Some UK hospitals have said they will limit the number of surgeries and routine checks to maintain capacity available for emergencies. British carriers advise travelers to take ‘essential journeys’ on Mondays and Tuesdays only by public or private transport.
“The intensity of the heat moving north from Spain and Portugal is simply amazing,” British meteorologist Scott Duncan said on social media. “The Extreme Forecast Index (EFI) from the European Center for Medium-Term Weather Forecast (ECMWF) will reach its lowest levels in Western Europe early next week. The ceiling of what is possible is very high. The question is not whether records will be broken, The question is how many.”
Warns not to underestimate the upcoming heat. “This heat wave will be characterized by an unprecedented intensity, day and night,” he added.
also Belgium You will feel it. Tomorrow the temperature can rise to 35 degrees, and on Tuesday – the hottest day – up to 39 degrees. Our weatherman David Dehenau is predicting.
Tomorrow and Tuesday there will be a symbol orange for almost the entire country due to the heat. This means everyone should take action: drink regularly, wear lighter clothes, look for cooler rooms during the day, monitor your health regularly, choose easily digestible foods in smaller portions, and finally keep windows and doors closed to prevent heat from entering.
NMBS will cancel 34 rush hour trains on Tuesday due to the expected high temperatures. This pertains to trains that are parked in full sun during the day or train equipment that is highly sensitive to extreme heat.
also in Holland Measures are taken. According to the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI), the 30-degree mark could be crossed tomorrow and the temperature could rise to 38 degrees on Tuesday. There is a good chance that the yellow code will be announced in the south of the country and maybe even the orange code.
Rijkswaterstaat will establish a heat protocol from 10am on Monday. This means that people who have been on the side of the road and have bad luck will be turned away ASAP. According to the organization, the temperature of asphalt can rise above 50 degrees on tropical days. She recommends bringing plenty of cold water for the trip and an umbrella to create some shade. Some bridges will also be pre-emptively cooled by water to prevent they cannot be opened.
The National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) is also preparing to introduce the National Heat Plan. This helps, among other things, prevent dehydration and overheating. This mainly concerns the elderly, children, the chronically ill, residents of nursing homes and people who live in social isolation. Our motto is to drink enough water and ventilate the house in the morning.
A smog warning is also in effect. Heat can create smog. People who are allergic to smog can have complaints as a result.
