France issues red alert to half the population in the face of record heat of 41.9°C
An exceptionally intense heat wave has hit France, with the city of Bordeaux, in the southwest of the country, recording a temperature of 41.9 degrees Celsius on June 22, 2026. The situation led to the issuing of a “red alert”, the maximum warning level for 54 national departments, according to local press reports. This measure affects approximately 39 million inhabitants, representing more than half of the French population.
Alerts issued highlight risks to public health
The red alert designation signals an “extreme heat wave” capable of triggering serious health problems among residents and intensifying drought-related concerns. France has a lower air conditioning penetration rate than other nations, such as Japan, which worsens the population’s vulnerability. Meteorological experts warn that the potential impacts could be similar to those of the historic heat wave of 2003, an event that resulted in the deaths of around 15,000 people across the country.
It is believed that the phenomenon is caused by the displacement of hot air masses coming from the Sahara Desert towards the north. This climate condition is expanding and also affecting regions such as Spain, Portugal and other European countries.
On July 22, approximately 1,350 primary and secondary education institutions across France suspended their activities due to high temperatures. Additionally, around 4,000 schools adjusted student departure times. Tragically, three elderly people were found dead in their homes in the southwest of the country on July 21. The following day, two children, aged 2 and 4, were discovered lifeless inside a car in the southeast, with the suspicion that their deaths were caused by heatstroke.
