Europe bakes in summer's first heatwave as continent warms

Southern Europeans braced on Saturday for their first heatwave of the northern hemisphere summer, as climate change pushes thermometers on the world's fastest-warming continent increasingly into the red.

Temperatures are set to rise to 37˚C in Rome, driving the Eternal City's many tourists and pilgrims towards the Italian capital's 2,500 public fountains for refreshment.

With residents of the southern French port city of Marseille expected to have to cope with temperatures flirting with 40˚C, the city's authorities ordered public swimming pools be free of charge to help residents beat the Mediterranean heat.

Two-thirds of Portugal will be on high alert on Sunday for extreme heat and forest fires, with 42˚C expected in the capital Lisbon, while visitors to — and protesters against — Amazon tycoon Jeff Bezos's Friday wedding in Venice likewise sweltered under the summer sun.

"There is no wind, a lot of humidity, we are sweating, and I'm suffocating at night," Alejandra Echeverria, a 40-year-old Mexican tourist to Venice, told AFP on Saturday.

"I try not to think about it, but I drink a lot of water and never stay still, because that's when you get sunstroke," Sriane Mina, an Italian student, told AFP the day before.

Scientists have long warned that humanity's burning of fossil fuels is heating up the world with disastrous consequences for the environment, with Europe's ever-hotter and increasingly common blistering summer heatwaves a direct result of that warming.

The heatwave is forecast to become even more intense on Sunday.

Spain, which has in past years seen a series of deadly summer blazes, is expecting peak temperatures in excess of 40C (104F) across most of the country.

According to the Spanish meteorological agency, temperatures may even register 42˚C in some areas, including the Guadalquivir, Guadiana, and Tagus regions. The past three years have been the hottest in Spain's history.

With peaks of 39˚C expected in Palermo, Sicily has ordered a ban on outdoor work in the hottest hours of the day, as has the Liguria region in northern Italy. The country's trade unions are campaigning to extend the measure to other parts of the country.

In Nice, where the mercury hit 33˚C at midday, residents and tourists sought refuge in misted parks and museums.

"We're not going to stay cooped up all day," said one retiree resting in the shaded Promenade du Paillon, a central greenway.

Families with young children flocked to water jets and cooling sprays.

"We live in a city-centre flat without a pool, and the sea is tricky with a two-year-old," said Florence Oleari, a 35-year-old GP.

At the Albert I garden, organisers of a triathlon to be held on Sunday briefed 4,000 competitors on emergency measures, including ice stations and electrolyte stations.

"If I feel unwell, I'll stop," said Frederic Devroye, a participant who travelled from Brussels for the triathlon, which includes a 3.8 km swim, a 180 km cycle with 2,600 m of elevation, and — to top it off — a marathon. Local authorities have distributed nearly 250 fans to schools over the past fortnight, while tourists like Jean-Luc Idczak opted to explore Nice's air-conditioned museums to keep cool. "With this weather, it's perfect," he said as he entered the city's photography museum.

In Seville, where forecasts suggested temperatures could reach up to 43 degrees Celcius, locals and tourists used handheld fans and caps to shield themselves from heat.

"Lots of cream, sun protection, on the face, everywhere, and very light clothing," said Marta Corona, a 60-year-old tourist holding a fan.

"People come asking for water and drinks, that's what sells, because with this heat you have to cope somehow," said Fernando Serrano, a 69-year-old kiosk owner at his stand.

The heatwave comes hot on the heels of a series of tumbling records, including Europe's hottest March ever, according to the EU's Copernicus climate monitor.

According to Copernicus and the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), Europe has been warming at roughly twice the global average since the 1980s.

As a result of the planet's warming, extreme weather events including hurricanes, droughts, floods and heatwaves like this weekend's have become more frequent and intense, scientists warn.

By some estimates 2024, the hottest year in recorded history so far, saw worldwide disasters that cost more than $300 billion.

Agence France-Presse