People swim in the river Limmat at Letten, in Zurich, Switzerland, Saturday, June 18, 2022. People flocked to parks and pools across Western Europe on Saturday for a bit of respite from an early heat wave that saw the mercury rise above 40 Cs (104 F) in France and Spain, and highs of 38 C (100.4 F) in Germany. (Michael Buholzer/Keystone via AP)
The Associated Press
BERLIN (AP) - People flocked to parks and pools across Western Europe on Saturday for a bit of respite from an early heat wave that saw the mercury rise above 40 C (104 F) in France and Spain, and highs of 38 C (100.4 F) in Germany.
Officials warned of wildfires across the western Mediterranean region as high temperatures and a long dry spell made for combustible conditions.
The European Commission's Copernicus Emergency Management Service said the fire risk was 'œextreme'ť and 'œvery extreme'ť in much of Spain, the Rhone river valley in France, Sardinia, Sicily and parts of mainland Italy.
The 27-nation bloc has put 12 firefighting planes and a helicopter on standby to assist countries struggling with major blazes this summer.
Meteorologists in France described the situation as 'œreally exceptional'ť and predicted that a peak of 43 C (109.4 F) could be reached Saturday before thunderstorms bring cooler weather in from the Atlantic.
Experts say the early heat wave is a sign of what's to come as climate change makes extreme temperatures normally seen only in July and August more likely in June too.
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Follow AP's coverage of climate change at https://apnews.com/hub/climate
A woman sunbathes in the gardens of the Palais Royal, Saturday, June 18, 2022 in Paris. A blanket of hot air stretching from the Mediterranean to the North Sea is bringing much of Western Europe its first heat wave of the summer, with temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit). (AP Photo/Thomas Padilla)
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Eva-Maria Gödde from North Rhine-Westphalia cools off in the midday sun with a glass full of ice cubes, in Harz, Germany, Saturday, June 18, 2022. (Matthias Bein/dpa via AP)
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People enjoy the beach, near to the Baltic Sea in Warnemunde, Germany, Saturday, June 18, 2022. (Jens Buttner/dpa via AP)
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A child carries a float across the beach to the Baltic Sea in Warnemunde, Germany, Saturday, June 18, 2022. (Jens Buttner/dpa via AP)
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The sun rises over a highway in Frankfurt, Germany, Saturday, June 18, 2022, as Germany expects this year's hottest weekend, according to weather reports. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
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A young man jumps into the water at the Georg Arnhold pool in summer temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius, in Dresden, Germany, Saturday, June 18, 2022. (Robert Michael/dpa via AP)
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Hannes drinks a canned beer in the bright sunshine at the Hurricane Festival campground, in Scheebel, Germany, Saturday, June 18, 2022, The open-air festival with around 78,000 visitors per day takes place from June 17 to 19. (Hauke-Christian Dittrich/dpa via AP)
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A young man jumps from the diving tower into the water, at the stadium pool, in Cologne, Germany, Saturday, June 18, 2022. (Christian Knieps//dpa via AP)
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A woman draws in the shade in the gardens of the Palais Royal, Saturday, June 18, 2022 in Paris. A blanket of hot air stretching from the Mediterranean to the North Sea is bringing much of Western Europe its first heat wave of the summer, with temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit). (AP Photo/Thomas Padilla)
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People relax in the shade in the gardens of the Palais Royal, Saturday, June 18, 2022 in Paris. A blanket of hot air stretching from the Mediterranean to the North Sea is bringing much of Western Europe its first heat wave of the summer, with temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit). (AP Photo/Thomas Padilla)
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A couple sits in the shade in a park Saturday, June 18, 2022 in Paris. A blanket of hot air stretching from the Mediterranean to the North Sea is bringing much of Western Europe its first heat wave of the summer, with temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit). (AP Photo/Thomas Padilla)
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People rest in the shade in a park Saturday, June 18, 2022 in Paris. A blanket of hot air stretching from the Mediterranean to the North Sea is bringing much of Western Europe its first heat wave of the summer, with temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit). (AP Photo/Thomas Padilla)
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A man walks in the water as the sun rises above the Miribel lake, outside Lyon, central France, Saturday, June 18, 2022. A blanket of hot air stretching from the Mediterranean to the North Sea is giving much of western Europe its first heat wave of the summer, with temperatures forecast to top 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) from Malaga to London on Friday. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani)
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A man prepares to enter in the water as the sun rises above the Miribel lake, outside Lyon, central France, Saturday, June 18, 2022. A blanket of hot air stretching from the Mediterranean to the North Sea is giving much of western Europe its first heat wave of the summer, with temperatures forecast to top 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) from Malaga to London on Friday. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani)
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