Europe's heatwave: Temperature hits 40°C in Germany

Several countries issue severe weather warnings during spell of baking heat

A wildfire at the edge of a grain field near Brandenburg in Germany. AP

Germany was on Wednesday facing its hottest day of the year with temperatures set to reach 40°C, as Europe continues to be gripped by extreme heat.

Record high temperatures, school closures and an increased risk of wildfires have all featured in the heatwave across Europe this week.

It is now the world's fastest-warming continent, heating up at twice the global rate, according to the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service, with extreme heatwaves starting earlier in the year and persisting for longer.

Tens of thousands of people have died in Europe during past heatwaves, prompting authorities to issue weather warnings for old and young, the sick and others vulnerable to what experts call a "silent killer".

A hot weather front known as Bettina in Germany is expected to leave most of the country sweltering on Wednesday, with only the coast and mountains spared.

The German Weather Service (DWD) is warning of an increased risk of forest fires due to the high temperatures as well as gale force winds coming off the back of thunderstorms.

"It is quite possible that we will locally reach 40°C," a DWD spokesman said.

A tourist cools off in the Trocadero Fountain next to the Eiffel Tower, which was closed as a result of the heat in Paris on Wednesday. Reuters

Spain has confirmed it experienced its hottest June on record. Firefighters in the Catalonia region have found two bodies after a blaze in the north-east of the country, which is experiencing a severe heatwave.

The blaze in Torrefeta destroyed several farms and affected an area stretching about 40km, officials said.

"The fire was extremely violent and erratic due to storms and strong winds, generating a convection cloud that complicated extinguishing efforts," the fire service said.

In Barcelona, authorities are looking into whether the death of a street sweeper at the weekend was heat-related.

Italy issued red alerts for 18 cities because of the extreme heat, as the danger of working outside in searing temperatures is being blamed for the death of a construction worker near the city of Bologna. Parts of Italy have now banned outdoor work during the warmest hours.

The historic city of Florence was expected to bear the brunt of Wednesday's heat, with a top temperature of 39°C during the afternoon.

There was a risk of violent and sudden rainstorms, particularly along the central Apennine mountain region, and for Sardinia and Sicily.

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  A firefighter extinguishing flames in a forest near Sonnewalde, Germany. AP

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  People use a public fountain on Rue de Rivoli to cool off in Paris. Getty Images

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  A young man ducks his head into a fountain in central Berlin. Reuters

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  A thermometer outside a pharmacy in central Paris as the temperature hits 44°C. Getty Images

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  Women shelter from the Sun as they visit Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. Reuters

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  A woman with her face covered visits the Colosseum in Rome. Getty Images

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  Fire rages across grassland in the Segarra region, in the rural province of Lleida, Spain. AP

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  Firefighters respond to a wildfire near Bizanet, southern France. AFP

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  Tourists stand in front of a cooling fan installed outside the Colosseum in Rome. Reuters

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  Golfers play on dried-out fairways at Thorpe Wood golf course in Peterborough, England. PA

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  People use a water fountain in Paris. AP

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  Smoke rises from a burnt area near Bizanet. AFP

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  A tourist rehydrates on Turo de la Rovira hill in Barcelona. EPA

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  Spectators try to stay cool at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London. AP

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  A horse enjoys a water hose at a stud farm near Frankfurt. AP

In France, the top floor of the Eiffel Tower closed on Tuesday and Wednesday, disappointing scores of visitors. When temperatures rise, the puddled iron used to build the Paris landmark expands and tilts slightly, with no impact on structural integrity, its website says.

Laia Pons, 42, a teacher from Barcelona who booked Eiffel Tower tickets for her family three years ago, said: "I tried to get all organised before our departure and the result is nonsense."

Susana Leivonen, 45, from Finland, said her family were planning to brave the Paris heat and had come prepared with water and sun lotion. "We woke up as early as possible to get out as early as possible, so we can rest during the afternoon,” she said.

Weather forecaster Meteo France said red alerts remained for several central areas of the country but the heat was easing in the west. Intense thunderstorms with possible heavy bursts of rain were expected in many parts of the east.

Temperature were expected to peak at around 39°C, with up to 34°C in Paris, and 36°C to 3°8C in Strasbourg, Lyon, Grenoble and Avignon.

The scorching temperatures have raised the risk of field fires as farmers in France, the EU's largest grain producer, start harvesting. Many are working through the night to avoid peak afternoon temperatures.