French authorities issue a warning as temperatures reach as high as 40°C (104°F) amid ongoing wildfires.

The 2022 European heat wave is a period of unusually hot weather that has affected France, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Spain,  Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Countries such as Spain and France have already been affected by drought and high temperatures have caused forest fires to occur.

After summer heatwave in June, France is going to face another peak in temperatures that will last throughout the next week. Forecasters warned that conditions are ripe for forest fires, like the giant blaze in the southern Gard region which firefighters have finally brought under control after three days. The southwest and the Rhone Valley are the regions most likely to be affected by the upcoming heatwave. Although the current temperatures at the weekend were considered to be in line with expectations for the season, Meteo France weather agency says this is just the beginning of what is shaping up to be a ten day hot spell, similar to the one that happened in June.