Europe sweltering amid fierce heat wave

People gather at Stonehenge in England on Saturday to celebrate the summer solstice, the longest day of the year.ALBERTO PEZZALI/AP

Europeans are braced for a heat wave that could push the mercury beyond 44 C this week, and cost the lives of elderly residents and people with underlying health conditions.

The heat wave, which is centered on France but that is impacting much of Western Europe, has prompted the French government to put its emergency services and military forces on high alert, with teams ordered to be ready to attack heat-related wildfires.

The average temperature in France at this time of year ranges between 15 C and 25 C.

The country has also canceled some outdoor sports events, and restricted alcohol availability at a major nationwide music festival on Sunday, over fears people could become dehydrated by drinking beer to stay cool, instead of more appropriate beverages.

The government said restricted alcohol sales will also help "preserve emergency services and allow medics to concentrate on taking care of the most vulnerable".

Around a third of France is the subject of a red health alert that began on Sunday.

Thermometers were set to hit 40 C on Sunday and edge several degrees higher on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.

The uncomfortably hot weather has prompted popular tourist attractions to set up misting stations and drinking-water fountains.

And the extreme weather is also impacting the United Kingdom, which issued an amber extreme heat warning on Sunday for southern England, the Midlands, and much of Wales.

The UK's Met Office said temperatures could hit 36 C or 37 C on Monday and Tuesday. The average temperature in the country at this time of year is between 14.5 C and 15.5 C.

Italy has also issued what it calls "red flags" for eight of its cities in northern and central parts of the country. Temperatures in those red flag zones are expected to be in the high 30s.

The European heatwave is likely to trigger a strong demand for energy — as people crank up their air conditioning units — and lead to water shortages and transport disruption.

The World Health Organization's Europe office said this month that more than 200,000 people have died across the continent from heat-related causes during the past four years, with most of the fatalities entirely preventable.

The WHO urged people to avoid swimming in lakes and rivers that they are unfamiliar with, or that do not have organized swimming areas, because many deaths were caused by people jumping into dangerous bodies of water.

The WHO also called on governments and employers to offer people respite from the heat and additional breaks or flexible shifts that ensure workers can stay out of the midday sun.

Weather experts have said heat waves are becoming increasingly frequent and intense because of human-induced climate change.

earle@mail.chinadailyuk.com