In Spain and France, European heat waves become deadly

Firefighters found two people dead in the fire in Spain’s Catalonia region on Tuesday as Europe continued to coking temperatures during a persistent heat wave.

Catalan authorities said in a statement that the two bodies were found after firefighters put out the fire in the Torrefeta area near the town of Cusco.

France had two other heat-related deaths, the country’s ecological transition minister said, adding that firefighters treated more than 300 people on Tuesday.

The European continent is experiencing extremely high temperatures, a phenomenon that is becoming more and more frequent due to “human-induced climate change.”

For Spain and the UK, June marks their hottest June since the record began. Spain’s meteorological service AEMET said last month that the average temperature last month was 23.6C (74.5F) “smashed records”, surpassing the normal average in July and August.

Firefighters worked in Catalonia on Tuesday night to define the periphery of the Torrefeta and Florejacs fires, according to the fire department in the area.

The fire department said in a statement Wednesday that their efforts focused on building the surroundings, putting out fires in buildings and excluding more victims.

As of 22:37 local time on Tuesday (BST 21:37), emergency services in Catalonia determined that their perimeter was about 6,500 hectares, about 40 kilometers (25 miles).

According to Spanish media reports, the two people who died in the fire in Coscó are the owners of the farm and workers. The two are 32 and 45 years old.

Firefighters said they found the two bodies “lifeless” while fighting the fire. Catalonian President Salvador Illa said he would visit the region.

Spanish forecaster AEMET predicts that the city of Córdoba, southern Spain, will have a peak of 41c on Wednesday.

France’s Ecological Transition Minister Agnès Pannier-Runacher said the deaths of two people in her country were the result of “a disease related to heat.”

This is because France only finished second in June since its founding record in 1900. June 2025 was only behind June 2023, when the country also experienced a severe heat.

Four sectors in France are still at red alert levels to reach their highest levels. According to the country, France Meteo, which includes Aube, Cher, Loiret and Yonne.

Forecasters predict some storms in parts of eastern France, with Metz’s height in the northeast being 37°C.

In Italy, two construction workers in Tezze Sul Brenta, Vesenza province, were taken to the hospital on Tuesday at 15:30 because they became ill from calories while working in the cave.

According to Italian news agency ANSA, one of the workers fell into a coma and reported that he was resuscited by a helicopter, intubated and taken to San Basiano Hospital.

According to Italian media reports, strong heat on Tuesday caused a power outage in downtown Florence as consumption of air conditioners and some underground cables peaked.

The power outage Tuesday afternoon means there is no electricity in the houses, hotels and shops. ATMs are also unable to take action in the store and other business locations are deactivated.

In Bergamo, overheating of underground cables also caused half of the city’s power outages. On the one hand, towards the side of Piazza Della Liberta, the lights are lighted and people can gather outside, while on the other hand, tilting towards Sentierone, no electricity means dark shop fronts, and there is little nightlife.

The power outage in Bergamo on Tuesday spans several hours, with no electricity from 16:00 to 22:46 local time.

According to the UN Intergovernmental Group on Climate Change, heat waves are becoming increasingly common due to climate change caused by humans.

It says extreme hot weather will occur more frequently and become more intense as the planet continues to warm.

The United Nations’ Weather and Climate Agency is the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on Tuesday that climate change caused by humans means “extreme heat is becoming more frequent and intense.”

“The impact of high temperatures on human health is more obvious due to the effects of urban heat islands. This is a warmer place in the urban environment than the surrounding rural areas, especially during hot periods, due to the large number of paved surfaces, buildings, vehicles, vehicles and heat sources.”

“This extra heat in cities increases heat stress and may increase mortality during hot periods,” the agency said.