Europe is grappling with a record-breaking heatwave that has resulted in an unprecedented rise in excess deaths, particularly among the elderly, and triggered widespread wildfires. France reported over 2,000 excess deaths during the last week of June, marking a 29% increase compared to the previous week. The country's health minister Stéphanie Rist attributed this surge to a "clear increase" in deaths among those aged 45 and above. The heatwave reached its peak on 24 June, with an average national temperature of almost 41C in Paris and half of France under a red heat alert. Forecasters predict further extreme temperatures across the continent in the coming days, with large areas of high pressure building towards Portugal and Spain. Meanwhile, parts of the UK are also bracing for searing temperatures from this weekend. In the United States, millions celebrating the July Fourth holiday weekend are already being affected by prolonged heatwaves and high humidity. The Copernicus climate service has reported that Europe is the fastest warming continent, heating up twice as fast as the global average, causing increased summer heatwaves, greater pressure on water supplies, and more intense wildfires. This year's record-breaking temperatures have already proved particularly deadly in Belgium, where 1,222 excess deaths were recorded during the heatwave, representing a 39% increase compared to usual. The Dutch authorities reported about 480 excess deaths last week due to unprecedented heat, with most of the victims aged 80 and older. As Europe braces for more sweltering conditions, Météo-France has issued red alerts for forest fires in southern France, predicting a "very high" risk of an outbreak compared to summer norms. In Spain, areas of the southwest are on orange alert as temperatures are expected to reach 40C in some parts.