As France battled flames, the third bout of extreme heat this season that is also affecting Britain and Spain continued its progression into Italy, where authorities were bracing for temperatures reaching 44C in Sardinia.
According to the Reuters Climate Monitor, the average high of temperatures across Western Europe was 29.4C on Tuesday, 6.3C higher than the seasonal average high for July 14 recorded between 1961 and 1990.
The difference was most pronounced in Belgium and France, with seasonal highs deviating by as much as 9.4C and 9.1C.
Scientists say climate change is making such events more frequent and intense, leaving forests and scrubland across the continent primed to burn.
More than 10,000 excess deaths were recorded across Europe and Britain in the past two record-breaking heatwaves in May and late June, with scientists saying the only credible reason for the unusually high toll was heat-related.
In Spain, authorities continued work to identify victims of last week's deadly forest fire in the popular holiday area of Almeria, which killed at least 13 people, mostly foreign nationals, and left 10 missing.
French firefighters battled through the night to tackle the blaze that tore through the historic forest of Fontainebleau, home to one of France's best-known royal palaces.
At least two people were arrested on suspicion of having started the fire.
"It is not under control," Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said late on Monday, adding that the main blaze in Fontainebleau and another one nearby that started on Monday afternoon had scorched 1300 hectares.
He said 59 people had been arrested across France on suspicion of starting fires this season.
Nunez said the Fontainebleau blaze was contributing to what would likely be a record year for fires in France, with 32,000 hectares burned already in 2026, more than the total in 2025.
"We expected this with this major drought," he said.
In Italy, a high-pressure system that had taken hold in Sardinia was anticipated to peak on Thursday and Friday, meteorologists said, with temperatures expected to reach 44C in inland Sardinia, 39C in Florence and 38C in Rome.
The incoming heat was accompanied by fine sand billowing in from North Africa, they said.
