Europe braces for warmer weather with France reporting 2,000 more deaths.

BBC Weather said an area of ​​high pressure is currently building from the Azores to Portugal and Spain, with temperatures expected to rise in France and southern Britain over the weekend.

And as Europe grapples with sweltering conditions, millions of Americans celebrating the Fourth of July holiday weekend in parts of the central and eastern US are suffering from prolonged periods of high temperatures and high humidity.

Climate change is raising temperatures around the world – but especially in Europe. According to the Copernicus Climate Service, the continent is warming at twice the global average rate.

This is leading to increased summer temperatures, greater pressure on Europe’s water supplies and more intense wildfires.

This summer’s record-breaking temperatures have been particularly deadly.

The number of deaths registered between June 22 and 28 increased by 2,025 – 29% – in France, the French Public Health Agency announced on Friday. In the Paris region alone, the death toll rose by 62 percent.

He said the figure may be an “underestimation” and the death toll “will therefore be higher than these initial figures”.

Drowning deaths rise in heat wave, French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said on Saturday, adding that 72 people had drowned since June 18.

Meanwhile, nearly 480 people died in the Netherlands last week due to unprecedented heat, Dutch authorities said on Thursday – most of them aged 80 and over.

Temperatures reached nearly 40C in some parts of the country, with most of the deaths reported in the hotter areas of the south and east of the Netherlands.

While the Netherlands is expecting a cooler week, warmer weather is forecast elsewhere at the weekend.

Temperatures are forecast to reach 40C in southern France, with highs of 36C to 37C expected around Bordeaux, Toulouse and Agen.

Météo-France has issued red alerts for forest fires in the south of the country for Friday and Saturday, warning that weather conditions are “very high” compared to summer norms.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said that at the beginning of the summer season, about 7,000 fires have been started, so far, about 8,700 hectares have been burned.

About 3,000 people were evacuated after a wildfire broke out in the town of Sainte-Marie-la-Mer and spread to Canet-en-Roussillon on Thursday.

In the Iberian Peninsula, the Emet weather service has warned of another heat wave.

The Portuguese government has declared a state of alert that will last until midnight on Tuesday. Temperatures are forecast to top 40C in some areas, with overnight highs of over 25C.

In the south-west of Spain, 40C is expected in some areas and are on orange alert.