Two people have died in France due to the high temperatures. Two people died after suffering from heat-related illnesses, said French Environment Minister Agnès Pannier-Runacher. More than 300 people received emergency medical treatment from rescue workers. Two people died in a forest fire in Spain.

On Tuesday, large parts of France were engulfed in heat. The highest level of warning, red, was in effect for 16 departments, including the metropolis of Paris. In southern and central France, temperatures climbed to more than 41 degrees Celsius in some places, with 38 degrees Celsius recorded in Paris. According to media reports, in some places in France, Tuesday was the hottest July since records began.

Bodies discovered during firefighting operations

Two people have died in the forest fire in Spain. The two bodies were discovered on Tuesday during firefighting operations near the town of Coscó in Catalonia, the fire department said. Two forest fires broke out in the region almost simultaneously. The cause of the fire was initially unclear, but the fire department cited the current heat and dry conditions as well as the strong winds that fanned the flames.

The current heat wave affecting large parts of Europe is being felt very strongly in Spain. Temperatures recently exceeded 40 degrees Celsius in many places. On Tuesday, a two-year-old boy died in Catalonia after his parents left him in a car that had been left in the blazing sun for several hours.

Forest fires in Turkey under control

The forest fires in western and southern Turkey are largely under control, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. The fires in the Izmir province on the Aegean coast, which have been raging since Sunday evening, have been"partially brought under control," Agriculture Minister Ibrahim Yumakli said in a situation report on Tuesday evening."Cooling efforts will continue throughout the night and in the coming days," he added.

He also emphasized that"no particular difficulties" are expected in connection with the fires raging in Hatay and Antakya in southern Turkey. The area was devastated by a severe earthquake in 2023.

Extreme heat forecast continues

At the same time, the minister warned of continued difficult weather conditions:"Extreme heat is forecast for the current week, requiring us to remain on alert until October 15." Yumakli called for "caution and vigilance."

The minister had previously warned that strong winds were expected in "large parts of the Sea of Marmara, the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean" and that temperatures would rise.

Fires fanned by winds

Six fires, primarily in the south of the country, were active throughout Tuesday, fueled by strong winds. A total of 342 forest fires have broken out since Friday, the minister explained. He warned against lighting fires outdoors or leaving highly flammable materials in the sun.

A total of 50,000 people – including 42,000 in the Izmir area and more than 5,000 in Hatay – were evacuated from the flames on Monday. Hundreds of homes were destroyed, according to the emergency services agency AFAD. Turkey has been spared the heat wave sweeping across southern Europe, but is suffering from drought caused by climate change.