By Hazel Camba
As parts of Europe grapple with sweltering temperatures reaching 40 degrees Celsius, the European Union is intensifying efforts to assist member states hardest hit by the ongoing heatwave.
Spain reported four heat-related deaths, while France and Italy each confirmed two fatalities linked to the extreme temperatures.
Wildfires have broken out in southern France, Greece, and parts of Catalonia due to the extreme heat, EU Today reported.
Meanwhile, in Turkey, around 50,000 people were forced to evacuate on Monday from areas near Izmir, the nearby Manisa province, and Hatay in the southeast as the country battled multiple wildfires, according to Reuters.
By Friday, Euronews reported that most of the fires had been extinguished.
In response, the European Commission said in a statement its teams have already begun battling fires on the ground as part of the EU’s wildfire preparedness plan.
In Greece, Bulgarian firefighters have been deployed to assist Greek crews in Halkidiki, while Romanian firefighters stationed in southern France have supported local teams in extinguishing flames near Perpignan.
These operations are part of the EU’s summer wildfire strategy, which includes placing nearly 650 firefighters from 14 European countries across France, Greece, Portugal, and Spain.
These reinforcements aim to strengthen national response capabilities in high-risk areas.
“The EU’s Emergency Response Coordination Center is closely monitoring developments and stands ready to provide support via the Civil Protection Mechanism if requested,” the European Commission said in its official page.
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National responses across region
As the EU ramps up its heatwave response, affected countries are also taking action to protect residents from the extreme heat.
In Spain, the Red Cross opened an air-conditioned “climate refuge” in Malaga, southern Spain, while volunteers go door-to-door in vulnerable neighborhoods to hand out water and check on at-risk individuals, according to Reuters and EU Today.
In France, where Paris hit 42C on Tuesday, authorities closed hundreds of schools and nurseries, placed ambulance teams on alert, and shut down the Eiffel Tower’s summit due to safety concerns.
Meanwhile, in Italy, regional officials in Lazio and Lombardy banned outdoor work during the hottest hours and opened cooling centers in libraries and malls.
Rome recorded its highest-ever June temperature, reaching 43.2C on Wednesday.
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Newsjustnews writers 
Geoffrey H. Latayan