![\"As](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1782475089_863_6880.jpg\")
As Paris remains under a red heatwave alert, tourists and residents are gathering at the Trocad\u00e9ro fountains to seek relief from the extreme temperatures. Photograph: Jeanne Accorsini\/SIPA\/ShutterstockShare<\/a><\/p>\nUpdated at\u00a005.18 EDT<\/p>\n
Key events<\/p>\n
Health chiefs in the UK are warning of the impact the heatwave is having on services as they face significantly more life-threatening emergency calls with record-breaking temperatures continuing to scorch the country.<\/p>\n
Several hospitals have declared critical incidents, with University Hospital Southampton being forced to cancel a number of planned operations and some outpatient appointments.<\/p>\n
The London Ambulance Service (LAS) responded to its highest number of life-threatening emergencies ever on Wednesday, and its chief operating officer Craig Harman said he expects \u201cdemand to grow day on day over the next couple of days\u201d.<\/p>\n
As football fans prepare to cheer on England in Saturday\u2019s World Cup game, Harman has told people to drink alcohol responsibly, drinking \u201cplenty of water\u201d in between alcoholic beverages.<\/p>\n
He told the Press Association it is not just the elderly and people with underlying health conditions affected by the heat, adding: \u201cI\u2019m saying to people I need you to drink water even when you\u2019re not thirsty, staying out of the sun during the hottest parts of the day, and particularly not exercising outside and putting your body under additional heat and strain.\u201d<\/p>\n
Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a007.23 EDT<\/p>\n In the UK leading security, military and academic experts are set to join a newly launched government taskforce aimed at addressing growing threats to the country posed by climate change, PA reports.<\/p>\n The group will advise the government on how to better anticipate and respond to these risks, as global warming and nature loss are increasingly recognised as core drivers of geopolitical instability and economic disruption.<\/p>\n Co-chaired by climate minister Katie White and security minister Dame Angela Eagle, officials said the taskforce will meet to pinpoint gaps in the UK\u2019s preparedness.<\/p>\n The experts will also aim to identify the most serious climate and nature threats to national security, review existing resilience work across government and set out clear recommendations to strengthen readiness, they said.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a007.17 EDT<\/p>\n Belgium cancels reenactment of Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo due to extreme heat<\/p>\n Meanwhile in Belgium, the authorities have cancelled this weekend\u2019s reenactment of Napoleon\u2019s defeat at the battle of Waterloo as the country swelters under a heatwave, AFP reported.<\/p>\n Reenactors take part during the Battle of Waterloo Reenactment in 2023. Photograph: Pier Marco Tacca\/Getty Images<\/p>\n The annual event sees hundreds of enthusiasts dressed up in Napoleonic-era costumes recreate the battle from 1815 before history-loving crowds.<\/p>\n \u201cWaterloo 2026 reenactments cancelled: safety first,\u201d the organisers announced<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cThe safety of the public, participants, volunteers, emergency service workers cannot be comprised.\u201d<\/p>\n Temperatures in Belgium are nearing record highs for June, as part of a broader heatwave choking swathes of Europe<\/a>.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Near Italy\u2019s Po River estuary, clam fishers toiled picking their nets free of algae spawned by the heat, AFP reported.<\/p>\n People fish amidst sandbanks and exposed riverbed along the Po River in San Daniele Po, Cremona, northern Italy. Photograph: Anadolu\/Getty Images<\/p>\n \u201cOn top of all our problems, now there\u2019s this crazy heat, so long, so unexpected,\u201d said Paolo Mancin, head of a fishers\u2019 cooperative, standing in the 31C water.<\/p>\n \u201cAlgae form and the clams are dying in large numbers.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Genoa becomes 18th Italian city covered by red heatwave alert as courts, cultural institutions restrict entry due to heat<\/p>\n Over in Italy, Genoa has become the 18th Italian city covered the red extreme health alert, ANSA news agency reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n A senior refills a reusable water bottle at a public drinking fountain in Rome, Italy. Photograph: Michael Nguyen\/NurPhoto\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n It joins 17 cities that already were on red alert, including some of major tourist attractions of Bologna, Florence, Rome, Turin and Verona.<\/p>\n Palermo\u2019s courthouse suspended hearings until 29 June, while Florence\u2019s Uffizi Gallery said it has extended a suspension of ticket sales imposed earlier this week, with only people with previous bookings allowed to enter, ANSA said.<\/p>\n \u201cDue to the exceptional heatwave currently affecting the country (and Florence in particular) access to the Uffizi Gallery will be restricted to those with a pre-booked ticket only until and including Sunday 28 June. We apologise for any inconvenience caused,\u201d Uffizi said in a statement.<\/a><\/p>\n Share<\/a>Heatwave expected to bring Germany and Poland to 40C this weekend<\/p>\n James Michelin for MetDesk<\/p>\n Temperatures are forecast to rise dramatically in parts of central and northern Europe this weekend as the intense heatwave continues<\/a>.<\/p>\n In Germany and Poland, highs up to or exceeding 40C are expected on both Saturday and Sunday, days after swathes of France<\/a> experienced similar extreme temperatures.<\/p>\n The Austrian Grand Prix, taking place this weekend in Spielberg, has declared a heat hazard<\/a>, the first race to do so this season. Temperatures are expected to rise into the low 30s celsius during the race, almost 10C warmer than usual for the venue.<\/p>\n The dome and building of the Reichstag, seat of the lower house of German parliament Bundestag, are seen in the background as a woman soaks a piece of clothing in the water stream of a sprinkler system in Berlin. Photograph: Ralf Hirschberger\/AFP\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a>Derbyshire firefighters continue to respond to large wildfire in Derbyshire<\/p>\n Harry Cockburn<\/p>\n Over in the UK, firefighters are still trying<\/a> to bring a large wildfire in Derbyshire under control.<\/p>\n The blaze, which has burned over 500 square metres of moorland and woodland on Tintwistle Moor, near Glossop, broke out on Wednesday evening, with fire crews from Manchester and Derbyshire deploying a water-dropping helicopter and six fire engines on Thursday.<\/p>\n Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service responding to a large wildfire near Glossop yesterday. Photograph: Derby Mountain Rescue Team<\/p>\n Thick clouds of smoke are affecting local villages and forcing road closures, with residents warned to keep windows and doors shut, while ash and smoke are impacting air quality in parts of Bolton and Greater Manchester.<\/p>\n Derbyshire fire and rescue service called for heightened awareness of fire risk amid the heatwave.<\/p>\n \u201cThe ground is tinder dry and the slightest spark from a campfire, a tiny burning ember from a barbecue, or a flake of ash from a discarded cigarette could soon escalate to a major incident so please act responsibly,\u201d the service said.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Paris Pride March postponed over extreme temperature warnings<\/p>\n Organisers postponed the French capital\u2019s weekend Pride March after police ordered them to change the date to avoid overwhelming response services already under pressure due to extreme heat, AFP reported.<\/p>\n \u201cThe march has been postponed,\u201d said Anouk Veyret, co-president of the Inter-LGBT association.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re thinking of holding it in September, but the whole team needs to meet to see how we can bounce back.\u201d<\/p>\n The Pride March in the French city of Lyon, likewise to be celebrated on Saturday, was also cancelled on Friday.<\/p>\n As Paris remains under a red heatwave alert, tourists and residents are gathering at the Trocad\u00e9ro fountains to seek relief from the extreme temperatures. Photograph: Jeanne Accorsini\/SIPA\/ShutterstockShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a005.18 EDT<\/p>\n 150 million Europeans to experience temperatures above 35C today<\/p>\n At least 150 million Europeans will experience temperatures above 35C today, much higher than in the previous two days (94 million on Wednesday and 101 million yesterday), according to AFP estimates.<\/p>\n More than 420 million people across Europe, excluding Turkey, will see temperatures above 30C.<\/p>\n That\u2019s around 70% of the population.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Paris police ask organisers of Pride march, Solidays music festival to cancel events<\/p>\n The Paris police prefect has asked the organisers of the Pride march and the Solidays music festival to cancel their events due to the continuing extreme heat.<\/p>\n The unusual move is needed to prevent a further health crisis, the police said, as the healthcare system is already facing unprecedented pressures due to the weather.<\/p>\n Its statement said<\/a>:<\/p>\n \u201cWhile the weather forecast shows no improvement, some large-scale cultural or protest events, such as the Solidays festival, the Pride March, and the athletics meeting at the Charl\u00e9ty stadium, are still scheduled for this weekend<\/p>\n Despite the adjustments made by the organisers and their efforts to increase their internal first aid capacity, the influx of several hundred thousand people to these events will create a high risk of overburdening a healthcare system already stretched to its limits.<\/p>\n Therefore, considering these factors and in order to concentrate the remaining resources on assisting the most vulnerable, the Prefect of Police has asked the organisers to cancel their events.<\/p>\n Should they refuse, the Prefect of Police will prohibit them by decree.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a004.41 EDT<\/p>\n Extreme heat emerging as ‘structural economic risk’ for Europe, experts say Business reporter<\/p>\n The latest heatwave to grip the UK and much of western Europe has presented significant challenges to employers and their employees<\/a>, from sweltering offices, disrupted commutes and school closures to dangerous construction sites where workers are at risk of dehydration, heatstroke and other injury.<\/p>\n A construction worker feels the heat in Turin, Italy. Photograph: Tino Romano\/EPA<\/p>\n There is now a growing acceptance that increasing spells of extreme heat have a significant impact on productivity and threaten Europe\u2019s already sluggish economies. Economists warn that the climate crisis will dent economic growth unless European countries adapt their ageing buildings and infrastructure.<\/p>\n Robert Marks, the lead climate economist at Oxford Economics<\/a>, said temperatures in the high 30s and low 40s would \u201clikely lead to substantial productivity losses and directly disrupt labour across construction, agriculture, manufacturing, retail and hospitality and other sectors which are unable to provide a protected work environment\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cThese sectors represent 27% of economic activity in the UK and an average of 35% in western Europe,\u201d he said. As a result, a four-day heatwave \u201ccould reduce quarterly labour productivity growth by 1.5 percentage points in the UK and up to two percentage points in the rest of western Europe\u201d.<\/p>\n The largest loss of working hours in western, northern and southern Europe by 2030 is expected to be felt by the agriculture and construction sectors, according to research by the International Labour Office.<\/p>\n Researchers at the insurance group Allianz<\/a> found extreme heat was emerging as a \u201cstructural economic risk\u201d for Europe. They found France, Spain and Italy were among the European economies most exposed to the growing economic cost of heat stress (the UK was not included in the study). This was because productivity losses intensify sharply above a 30C threshold, while at the same time the cost of energy required to cool machinery and buildings rises.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Electronic music festival Defqon.1 in the Netherlands has been cancelled for the rest of the weekend due to the red extreme heat alert issued in the country.<\/p>\n Festival Defqon. 1 has ended prematurely due tp extreme heat warning in Biddinghuizen, the Netherlands. Photograph: Michel van Bergen\/EPA<\/p>\n The organisers said in a statement<\/a>:<\/p>\n \u201cThis is the first time the Netherlands has ever issued a code red warning because of high temperatures. Together with the authorities, we are therefore forced to cancel the remaining days of Defqon.1.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a>55 people drowned in France since the start of the heatwave, minister says<\/p>\n Over in France<\/a>, the number of people who drowned during this heatwave has gone up to 55, sports minister Marina Ferrari told Franceinfo.<\/p>\n As Paris remains under a red heatwave alert, tourists and residents are gathering at the Trocad\u00e9ro fountains to seek relief from the extreme temperatures. Photograph: Jeanne Accorsini\/SIPA\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n She worried that the situation could get worse as the heatwave continues.<\/p>\n In comments reported by Le Figaro,<\/a> she said that two-thirds of the drownings took place at unsupervised or unauthorised swimming areas.<\/p>\n 61 French departments remain under the highest red extreme heat alert today.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n As the heatwave begins its march eastwards, we are expecting to see more extreme temperatures in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and parts of central Europe<\/a> today.<\/p>\n Frankfurt is expected to see 39C today, Amsterdam and Bologna 37C, Brussels and Geneva 36C, Prague and Zurich 35C, and London and Zagreb 34C.<\/p>\n A person seeks relief from high temperatures during a heatwave in Bologna. Photograph: Silvia Casadei\/Jna Press\/Nexpher\/ZUMA Press Wire\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n In central Europe, the temperatures will peak over the weekend, with authorities expecting temperatures near 40C in Berlin on Saturday, and in Prague and Warsaw on Sunday.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a003.21 EDT<\/p>\n Human-made climate change ‘unequivocally’ responsible for heatwave, scientists say<\/p>\n Scientists said in a study released Friday that human-made climate change was \u201cunequivocally\u201d responsible for the heat that broke records in Britain, France<\/a>, Spain and Switzerland, while the Netherlands issued its first-ever red alert over heat, AFP reported.<\/p>\n Pedestrians use umbrellas for shade while walking through Orvieto, Umbria, Italy. Photograph: Michael Nguyen\/NurPhoto\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n It would have been \u201cvirtually impossible\u201d for such exceptional temperatures to occur in June fifty years ago, the World Weather Attribution group of scientists said.<\/p>\n A similar heatwave would have been 3.5C cooler during the day in June 1976, concluded the study by scientists from Europe<\/a>, the United States and the United Kingdom.<\/p>\n But the world is hotter today and \u201cthe chance of a heatwave like this has changed immensely\u201d, said the study\u2019s lead author Theodore Keeping from Imperial College London.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a004.06 EDT<\/p>\n Welcome<\/p>\n The UK Met Office has extended a red heat alert into Friday for a large area of south-east England, the first time such warnings have been issued for three days in a row.<\/p>\n The red warning is in place until 9pm for London, Oxfordshire, Bedfordshire, Hampshire and Kent. Amber heat warnings are in place for a wider area on Friday, and are running into Saturday for parts of east and south-east England.<\/p>\n On Friday, swathes of Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland face yellow warnings for thunderstorms.<\/p>\n A weather warning for thunderstorms and heavy rain is in place across Scotland for the entirety of Friday, following days of baking temperatures. Temperatures reached 31.2C at Threave in Dumfries and Galloway on Thursday, according to Met Office data.<\/p>\n However, the weather is set to change dramatically as rainier conditions sweep in from the north-west. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has issued flood alerts for every area of Scotland other than Shetland.<\/p>\n In Europe, France is braced for more stifling heat. From noon, Paris will begin a ban on drinking alcohol in public for certain times of the day. You can read more about that here<\/a>. The ban also covers takeaway alcohol sales in Paris. Police said the ban was necessary as hospitals were overwhelmed and had reached \u2018\u201csaturation point\u201d. At least 48 people have died in France from drowning since the start of the heatwave.<\/p>\n Germany, Austria, Italy and Czechia face a torrid few days as temperatures are forecast to soar further east and south.<\/p>\n A woman in Berlin soaks a piece of clothing in a water sprinkler. Photograph: Ralf Hirschberger\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/p>\n The London ambulance service (LAS) said it had responded to its highest number of life-threatening emergencies ever on Wednesday. Chief operating officer Craig Harman said they expect \u201cdemand to grow day on day over the next couple of days\u201d.<\/p>\n Harman urged people to drink responsibly, as football fans prepare to cheer for England during Saturday\u2019s World Cup game against Panama. He advised people to drink \u201cplenty of water\u201d in between alcoholic beverages.<\/p>\n LAS saw a 50% increase in life-threatening emergency calls compared with a typical Wednesday in June, with the number of cardiac arrests up 30%.<\/p>\n In Paris, cardiac arrest callouts in were up fourfold, officials said on Thursday.<\/p>\n Italian news reports said five people died on Wednesday from heat-related incidents.<\/p>\n![\"Joanna](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Joanna_Partridge,_L.png\")
Joanna Partridge<\/p>\n