France Severe Weather Places Third of Country Under Red Heat Alert During Fête de la Musique
France severe weather has placed more than a third of the country under a red heatwave alert for Sunday, coinciding with the annual Fête de la Musique festival, prompting a nationwide ban on public alcohol consumption in affected areas to protect emergency services and vulnerable populations. [2] [4]
Current Heatwave Status and Alerts
Météo-France described the hot spell as widespread, long-lasting and intense, affecting around 26 million people under red alert and another 45 departments under orange alert. [4] Temperatures are forecast to reach 39-41C (102-106F) on Sunday in parts of the country, with even hotter conditions expected on Monday that could approach historic highs. [5] The national weather service announced the highest heatwave warning for 35 of France’s departments for Sunday, with Paris among the regions on the red-alert list. [4] “Very high temperatures are settling in for the long term across the country,” Météo-France said. [4] The forecast for Monday is even hotter, and authorities have warned they could match historic highs. [3] [5] France’s weather service Météo-France said it was “uncertain” how long the heatwave, which has been estimated to affect about three quarters of the population, would last. [5]
Impact on Fête de la Musique
France issued a red alert for the heatwave across more than a third of the country for Sunday. [2] It coincides with the country's Fête de la Musique celebrations and as a result, alcohol consumption will be banned in public spaces during the festivities. [2] The government banned public drinking in “red alert” zones, and ordered organizers of Music Day events to limit alcohol use to “preserve emergency services and allow medics to concentrate on taking care of the most vulnerable”. [3] “For all events organised by the state and its agencies, instructions have been given not to offer alcohol,” the office of Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said. [5] The combination of alcohol, heat and proximity to water — those are three risk factors that don’t mix well, Paris mayor Emmanuel Gregoire said on Friday. [4] On Saturday, the government said that alcohol consumption during the annual street festivals would be banned in departments under red heatwave alert. [4] “Prefects will issue decrees banning alcohol consumption in public spaces in the departments under red alert,” the government said in a statement following a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu. [4] France presses ahead with Fête de la Musique despite extreme heat. [1] Annual Fête de la Musique celebrations draw millions to the streets across France. [5] Held on the summer solstice each year, the Fête de la Musique sees musicians take over the streets with free performances and parties stretch into the night. [5] Fête de la musique has been going for more than 40 years, and is always held on the summer solstice. [5] Last year, about two million people attended events in Paris. [5]
France bans public alcohol consumption during Fête de la Musique amid nationwide red heatwave alerts. — Source: france24
Government and Local Response Measures
The government has reinforced wildfire readiness, tightened surveillance of nuclear reactor water supplies, and taken measures such as setting up misting stations at the Eiffel Tower and keeping Paris parks open at night. [3] [5] France is putting emergency services and military forces on wildfire alert, restricting public alcohol consumption and canceling some outdoor sports events to cope with a heat wave unfurling across parts of Europe. [3] The Eiffel Tower and other Paris venues set up misting stations to cool crowds, among a raft of measures announced by national and local authorities to minimize risks. [3] To help Parisians and tourists cope with the heat, authorities are keeping parks and gardens in the French capital open through the night. [5] Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu convened a government heat crisis meeting on Saturday and plans another one on Sunday, in the face of what the national weather service called a “widespread, long-lasting and intense” hot spell. [3] Lecornu ordered government ministers to plan for better adapting France to heat waves in the future, including “via air conditioning, if necessary”. [3]
Health and Vulnerability Concerns
Authorities are notably worried about people living in the baking streets, and elderly people in nursing homes or isolated in their homes. [3] About 15,000 older people died in a 2003 heat wave that became a reckoning for France. [3] More than 200,000 people across Europe died from heat-related causes over the last four years, and most of the fatalities were preventable, the World Health Organization’s Europe office said this month. [3] More above-average temperatures are expected this summer, which can cause heat exhaustion and life-threatening heat stroke. [3] WHO’s Europe office called for countries and institutions to implement heat plans, such as opening cooling centres, or introducing breaks or flexible shifts that enable workers to stay out of the midday sun. [3]
France restricts public alcohol consumption during Fête de la Musique amid severe nationwide heatwave. — Source: france24
Broader European Heat Context
In Italy, authorities expanded heat warnings – referred to locally as “red flags” – from seven to eight cities for Sunday, in northern and central parts of the country, out of the 27 monitored nationally by the health ministry. [3] Temps in the “red” cities are mostly in the upper-30s °C (high 90s to low 100s °F). [3] At one farm outside Milan, owners set up fans and sprinklers to keep cows cool. [3] In Rome, tourists dunked their arms and occasionally their faces into the city’s famed fountain pools. [3] An intense heatwave has been developing over Europe with many places seeing temperatures 10-15C above the seasonal average. [5]
Disruptions to Transport and Daily Life
The prolonged heatwave, which began earlier this week, has disrupted the country, forcing the cancellation of dozens of trains and the suspension of classes. [4] [5] Authorities canceled some outdoor sports events, suspended classes, and canceled dozens of trains due to the heat, while schools will only close as a last resort and some exams may be rescheduled. [3] Schools will only be closed as a last recourse, the government said, though end-of-year exams held in the afternoons may be delayed until the following morning or otherwise rearranged. [3]
What to watch next: Temperatures have been forecast to peak on Monday, and authorities have warned they could match historic highs while more above-average temperatures are expected this summer.
