According to Reuters and AFP, many regions in Europe are preparing for a new wave of heatwaves. Record-high temperatures in June and July this year have led to wildfires, dried up rivers, and caused thousands of deaths. On Monday, extreme heat warnings were issued in parts of the UK and France, with temperatures expected to reach around 35 degrees Celsius.
British Environment Agency's Director of Sustainable Business and Development, Tony Greely, said: "We know that hot and dry weather is causing substantial damage to agriculture and will have long-term effects on the environment."
The British government has imposed irrigation restrictions on farmers and prohibited the use of water pipes for watering in some areas. As Britain prepares to face this year's fifth consecutive heatwave, more than 27 million people are living under water restriction measures.
Meanwhile, the French government said on Monday that due to consecutive heatwaves causing increased drought, water restrictions have been implemented in 70% of the country. These restrictions apply to activities such as watering gardens and green spaces, filling swimming pools with water, car washing, and irrigation for crops.
The Spanish National Meteorological Agency (AEMET) stated on Monday that Spain experienced the hottest July on record since 1961 in July this year, following hot weather that contributed to the largest wildfire outbreak in the country's modern history. Last month was also the driest July on record in Spain, with only 4.3 millimeters of rainfall, which is just 26% of the normal precipitation for the same period.
Extremely dry conditions are fueling wildfires in Greece and Spain, including in the Andalusia region. Local firefighters are still struggling to extinguish the fires.
Andalusia's emergency management official Antonio Sánchez said that extinguishing the fires around the medieval town of Nieva is like a "long-distance obstacle race", and it is expected to continue for several days.
Sance said that nearly 500 people have been evacuated from the area.
The German Meteorological Service predicts that the highest temperature on Wednesday will reach 34 degrees Celsius. The national meteorological agency says that temperatures in most parts of western and southern Germany will rise to 37 degrees Celsius on Thursday, and peak at 39 degrees Celsius on Friday. The upcoming heatwave is the third round of extreme heat events this summer in Germany.
Persistent high temperatures have caused the water levels in some sections of the Rhine River to drop to historic lows. The Rhine is one of Europe's major waterways, transporting goods such as food, minerals, fuel, and other materials. The German inland shipping organization (BDB) warned that due to the continuous high temperatures during the summer and insufficient rainfall, the water levels will continue to drop, making it soon impossible for ships to navigate some sections of the Rhine River. Jens Schwennen, the organization's general manager, told the Rheinische Zeitung: "At such low water levels, commercial shipping will no longer be able to transport goods in this area." He also said, "In principle, this means that the Rhine is no longer capable of maintaining continuous navigation throughout its length, and thus is effectively divided into two sections."
Due to climate change, Europe has become the continent with the fastest rate of global warming. The Copernicus Climate Change Service of the European Union stated on Monday that before these heatwaves occurred, Western Europe had just experienced the hottest June and July periods on record. According to C3S data, temperatures in Europe are rising at twice the rate of other continents.
