A record-breaking European heatwave in June has caused a devastating spike in deaths across Western Europe, with France reporting over 2,000 excess deaths (a 29% increase) in the last week of June alone, particularly among those over 45. Similar spikes were recorded in Belgium and the Netherlands, mainly affecting elderly populations, alongside a sharp rise in drowning deaths. Driven by climate change—making Europe the fastest-warming continent—the heatwave has also triggered thousands of wildfires in southern France. Forecasters warn that a new high-pressure system from the Azores will bring a fresh wave of dangerous 40°C temperatures to France, Spain, Portugal, and the UK over the weekend.