In July 2022, much of Western Europe was gripped by an extreme heatwave. In south-west France, one meteorologist warned of a “heat apocalypse” as temperatures threatened records and wildfires forced thousands of people from their homes.
Wildfires in Gironde
The worst fires in France broke out in the Gironde region, a popular tourist area near Bordeaux. Blazes near La Teste-de-Buch and Landiras burned more than 14,000 hectares (around 34,000 acres) of forest within a week. Over 24,000 people, including residents and holidaymakers at campsites, were evacuated and housed in temporary shelters.
Jean-Luc Gleyze, president of the Gironde departmental council, said hot, windy conditions kept the fires spreading, making them extremely difficult for firefighters to bring under control.
Record temperatures
Temperature records were expected to fall across around 15 areas of south-west France. Even normally mild Brittany was affected: the port city of Brest recorded close to 40°C, far above its usual summer temperatures.
Across the Channel, the UK issued its first-ever red extreme heat warning, and temperatures there later exceeded 40°C for the first time on record.
Fires across southern Europe
France was not alone. Wildfires also forced evacuations in Spain, Portugal and Greece. Spanish and Portuguese health authorities linked more than a thousand deaths to the extreme heat.
In Spain’s Zamora province, a fire in the Sierra de la Culebra area claimed the lives of a firefighter and a shepherd. In Catalonia, a fire near Pont de Vilomara destroyed homes and caravans; one resident described waking to a red glow through her window and running outside to see flames engulfing the caravan opposite.
A sign of things to come
Scientists say climate change is making heatwaves more frequent, intense and longer-lasting. The summer of 2022 became one of Europe’s hottest on record, highlighting the need for better preparation, from early warning systems to forest management and protecting vulnerable people during extreme heat.
