25 June 2019; DW: A searing heat wave has begun to spread across Europe, with Germany, France and Belgium likely to experience extreme temperatures in the coming days.
In Germany, temperatures are expected to exceed 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) on Wednesday, topping the country's previous June record of 38.2 degrees Celsius set in Frankfurt in 1947.
Fire fighters braced for busy week
Climate researcher Andreas Marx cautioned against over-dramatizing Germany's current heatwave, which can not be compared with last year's drought. "2018 was an extreme event, and extreme events are very rare, especially in successive years," he told German public TV channel ZDF.
Forest fires are of particular concern for authorities in Germany, particularly in the northeast. Local residents were asked to keep windows and doors closed in Lieberoser Heidi — southeast of Berlin — while emergency services deal with a fire which broke out on Monday and spread to an area of about 10 hectares (25 acres), the size of 140 soccer pitches. It is expected to take a few days to put out, reported Berlin public broadcaster Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg.
'We must be vigilant': Macron
Meanwhile, French national weather agency Meteo-France predicted that the hot weather could produce temperatures of up to 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit), while German agencies suggested the heat may break records.
"It's unprecedented because it's hitting so early, in June. We haven't seen this since 1947," said Emmanuel Demael from the French meteorological agency on Monday.
French President Emmanuel Macron has urged for people to be extra vigilant in the coming days.
"As you know, at times like these, sick people, pregnant women, infants and elderly people are the most vulnerable. So we must be vigilant with them and have prevention measures in place in order to intervene as quickly as possible," he said.
Health Minister Agnes Buzyn said Monday that France was well prepared, but added that people still needed to be wary. "When people are fragile, even when everything is organized, there's always a higher mortality rate," she said.
Heat waves on the increase
Scientists say heat waves of this magnitude are on the increase in Europe, further evidence that the Earth's climate is changing due to the burning of fossil fuels.
Stefan Rahmstorf of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research said "monthly heat records all over the globe occur five times as often today as they would in a stable climate."
"This increase in heat extremes is just as is predicted by climate science as a consequence of global warming caused by the increasing greenhouse gases from burning coal, oil and gas," he added.
