France swelters as heat wave triggers red alert and drowning deaths

France is in the grip of an exceptional heat wave, with Météo-France placing 54 departments under red alert and temperatures rising above 40C in many parts of the country. Officials are warning that the danger will continue through the week as the heat spreads public-safety risks well beyond discomfort.

The latest escalation has turned the episode into a national emergency. Schools, trains, sporting events and other public activities have all been affected, while authorities are also dealing with drownings and the strain that prolonged extreme heat places on emergency services and public health systems.

A heat emergency across much of France

AP reported on Tuesday that 54 departments were under red alert, roughly half of mainland France. Le Monde said more than 90% of the country was under some form of heat alert, including 35 departments on orange alert outside the red-zone areas.

Many towns and regions have seen temperatures above 40C. Le Monde said the episode could produce four of the hottest days ever recorded in France between June 22 and June 25.

The heat wave began on June 17, according to Le Monde, and has intensified into what meteorologists and officials are describing as a severe and unusual episode. France’s weather service and major outlets have compared it with the deadly 2003 heat wave, which killed about 15,000 people in the country.

Disruption to daily life

The emergency is already reshaping daily routines. Schools have closed or altered operations in some places, trains have been disrupted, and sporting events and other gatherings have been canceled or adjusted as authorities try to reduce exposure during the hottest hours.

The Guardian reported earlier in the week that French authorities also moved to cancel events and restrict alcohol consumption in some places as conditions worsened. Those measures underscore how the heat is straining not just daily life but also the systems that normally absorb summer demand.

French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu addressed the crisis after a government briefing, reflecting the scale of the national response now required.

Public-safety risks

AP reported 40 drownings in France since last Thursday, saying the victims were mainly young people. The reporting did not say that every one of those deaths was directly caused by the heat, but the timing adds to concern about how the heat wave is compounding summer safety risks.

Officials are also focused on heat illness, the vulnerability of older people and children, and pressure on hospitals and emergency responders. France has fewer air conditioners than some other countries, which can make prolonged heat harder to endure for households and public institutions.

The current episode is part of a wider European heat wave, but France has drawn close attention because of the combination of red-alert coverage, major transport and school disruption, and the reported casualty figures.

What comes next

Meteorologists and officials are watching whether the red-alert map expands further or begins to ease. The key questions now are how long the hottest conditions last, whether casualty figures rise, and how quickly schools, trains and events can return to normal.

Another question is whether authorities will need to maintain emergency measures if temperatures remain above 40C. For now, Météo-France’s warning remains blunt: the danger is not over yet.