Dozen regions placed on red alert as France is hit by heatwave

A blistering heatwave gripped south-west France on Monday, sending temperatures soaring to 43C in parts of the Charente and Aude.

In Aude, a patchwork of vineyards and Mediterranean scrubland, hundreds of firefighters remained on the hillsides guarding the edges of a massive blaze that scorched 16,000 hectares (40,000 acres) last week.

Officials said the flames are under control, but warn the fire will not be fully extinguished for weeks, with hot spots still smouldering.

The national weather authority, Meteo-France, placed 12 departments on red alert, France’s highest heat warning, anticipating exceptional heat stretching from the Atlantic coast to the Mediterranean plains.

Forty-one other departments were under lower-level orange alerts, as was the neighbouring microstate of Andorra, between France and Spain.

Social media images showed shuttered streets in Valence, residents shielding windows with foil to reflect the light, and tourists huddling under umbrellas along the Garonne in Toulouse.

Across the south, cafe terraces stood empty as people sought cooler corners indoors.

The red alert has been issued only eight times since it was created in 2004 after a deadly summer the year before.

It is reserved for extreme, prolonged heat with major health risks and the potential to disrupt daily life.

The designation gives local officials powers to cancel outdoor events, close public venues and alter school or summer camp schedules.

The heatwave, France’s second of the summer, began on Friday and is expected to last all week, carrying into the August 15 holiday weekend.

It is already pushing northward, with 38C forecast in the Centre-Val de Loire region and up to 34C in Paris.