France places 9 departments on red heat wave alert as wildfires continue

Nine French departments were placed under the highest-level red heat wave alert for Friday as extreme temperatures continued to fuel wildfire risks across the country, officials said Thursday.

The national weather service, Meteo-France, announced that the red alert would take effect at midday, covering Ille-et-Vilaine, Loire-Atlantique, Maine-et-Loire, Mayenne, Morbihan, Sarthe, Deux-Sevres, Vendee and Vienne, according to the BFMTV broadcaster.

Another 76 departments were placed under orange heat wave warnings.

Authorities warned that temperatures would remain exceptionally high during the weekend, with forecasts predicting up to 39C (102F) in Nantes on Saturday and around 42C in Mont-de-Marsan on Sunday.

Firefighters, meanwhile, continued efforts to control several wildfires across France.

A wildfire in the southeastern Drome region, which began a week ago in mountainous terrain near Die, was no longer spreading as of Thursday, according to the local prefecture.

The blaze has burned 3,000 hectares (7,413 acres), with nearly 450 firefighters supported by aerial resources working to contain it.

In the southwestern Landes region, firefighters contained a blaze in the commune of Vielle-Saint-Girons after it burned approximately seven hectares.

The fire started in dry grass before spreading to pine forests, said officials.

The extreme heat has also affected animals, with veterinary emergency services reporting a 56.8% increase in heatstroke-related animal deaths during the June heat wave.

In the Aude department, authorities introduced restrictions on alcohol sales and consumption late Thursday due to high temperatures and a France-Morocco football match in the World Cup.

The prefecture banned the takeaway sale of certain strong alcoholic drinks, as well as their consumption in public areas.

Officials warned that combining alcohol consumption with extreme heat significantly increases the risk of dehydration and heat-related illness.