France extends red heat alert to 37 departments, 26 million face record temperatures

Météo‑France has placed 37 of the country’s departments under the highest, red, vigilance level as the third summer heatwave peaks on Sunday, affecting roughly 26 million people. Forecasts call for maximum temperatures between 38 °C and 41 °C, with some locations such as Bordeaux, Nantes and parts of Nouvelle‑Aquitaine expected to reach or exceed 40 °C.

The extreme heat is fueling a surge in wildfires – more than 25 000 ha have burned since the start of the year, nearly double the 2025 total – and authorities have warned that nine out of ten fire ignitions are human‑caused. Several large fires remain active, including the Die fire in Drôme (4 400 ha) and the Trévillach blaze in the Pyrénées‑Orientales.

Public services and events are being disrupted. The Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and Musée d’Orsay will close early each day, the Tour de France stage on Sunday has been shortened, and many municipal fireworks for the national holiday have been cancelled. Traffic is congested on the July‑14 holiday weekend, and a rise in drownings has been reported. Heat‑related health risks are prompting the government to keep its “Orsec chaleurs extrêmes” plan in place, with cooling centres opened in red‑alert zones.

Météo‑France expects the heatwave to persist into early next week before temperatures begin to fall, with a wind episode on Sunday–Monday that could hinder firefighting efforts in the south‑west.