Heatwaves expected to become standard in Europe in summer: WMO

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) belives that current strong heatwaves in Europe are to become the norm in Europe during the summer months. However, Taalas said it might be too late to save glaciers as the WMO expects they will keep melting for hundreds or thousands of years, as sea level rises. Italian firefighters took around 30 residents to safety after a fire broke out in the Massarosa municipality to the north of Pisa in Tuscany on Monday evening. A north-east wind fanned the flames, threatening homes in the area. Some 34,000 people have left their homes since the fires broke out in Teste-de-Buch and Landiras a week ago. In Spain, the fires that have been raging since last Wednesday have destroyed at least 60,000 hectares of forest, broadcasters RTVE reported on Tuesday, citing the authorities of the various regions affected. The situation was particularly bad in Zamora, near the border with Portugal, and in Ávila, north-west of Madrid. In these two provinces, around 10,000 people from about 50 villages had to be brought to safety from the flames since Sunday. Since the beginning of the year, flames have already destroyed more than 100,000 hectares in Spain, which is almost 13,000 hectares more than in the entire 2021, according to RTVE. Residents of the affected regions received a message by text message to be ready to leave their homes if ordered to do so by the fire brigade. One village had already been evacuated because the flames were approaching threateningly, state television reported. Germany, meanwhile, is expecting potentially record-breaking temperatures on Tuesday, as 10 of Germany's 16 states raised their forest fire alarm to its highest level. People living in the Netherlands might get a break on Wednesday, as the weather service expects maximum temperatures of up to 30 degrees Celsius, but also heavy thunderstorms. In Belgium, the capacity of the Doel 1 and Doel 2 nuclear reactors has been reduced owing to the heat. There are fears that the cooling water will become too warm, the Belga news agency reported, citing operators Engie. On Tuesday, the country recorded 36.4 degrees Celsius, its fourth highest temperature since records have been kept, the KMI weather service said. Several cars burst into flames on the Belgian coast. Five cars burnt out and five others were damaged in the dunes of the seaside resort of De Haan on Tuesday, the Belga news agency reported, citing police sources. Heat and dryness had led to a rapid spread of the fire. However, the fire brigade had brought the blaze under control and was trying to prevent it from reigniting. VRT reported that the fire may have started in a parked car or from a discarded cigarette.