Europe Braces for Record Heatwave As Fires Ravage La Palma
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Fires continue to devastate the forests of La Palma in the Canary Islands, resulting in the destruction of 5,000 hectares and the evacuation of 4,000 individuals.
Spain is expected to experience no respite as a new heatwave looms for the first half of the week, pushing temperatures above 40C in the Canary Islands and the southern Andalusia region, according to the national meteorological agency, Euronews reported.
Clement Albergel, a Climate Applications Scientist at the European Space Agency, warns of the impact of climate change on heatwaves, stating, "We increase the likelihood of sequential heatwaves, and it's becoming more and more difficult to cope with this frequent succession of heatwaves."
Italy's health ministry has issued a red alert for 15 cities, including Rome, Bologna, and Florence, as predictions of historic highs in the coming days raise concerns for the well-being of older adults, infants, and other vulnerable individuals.
François Mbemba, a visiting priest from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, describes the intense heat in Rome, saying, "It's been very hot here since we arrived. We're finding it hard to get used to it, especially as we've only just arrived and we've realized that it's hotter here than it is at home in Africa, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, for example. The heat goes on well into the night, and sometimes we even find it hard to sleep."
Rome is anticipated to experience temperatures around 42C-43C on Tuesday, while Sicily and Sardinia could see temperatures as high as 48C, potentially marking the hottest temperatures ever recorded in Europe, as warned by the European Space Agency.
In response to the ongoing wildfires in Canada, the country's Emergency Preparedness Minister, Bill Blair, announced the mobilization of federal assistance, including military resources, to aid British Columbia in combatting the hundreds of wildfires.
The Canadian wildfires continue to generate smog that spreads to neighboring areas, prompting new air quality alerts from the National Weather Service. Although the haze is expected to diminish by Monday, individuals sensitive to poor air quality may still face risks in the coming week.
Amid an internal battle over the bloc's climate targets, the European Union (EU) is exerting pressure on other major polluting countries, including the United States, China, and India, to accelerate their greenhouse gas emission reductions.