Heat alerts were issued in Italy, France, Spain, Portugal and the Balkans. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.

Extreme heat has smashed temperature records across Europe in recent days, fueling wildfires. Weather forecaster Meteo France said in an update that "unprecedented maximum temperatures, often 12 degrees above normal levels" were set earlier in the week.

A heat wave gripped parts of Europe on Monday, sending temperatures up to 43 degrees Celsius (109.4 Fahrenheit) in southern France and increasing risks of wildfires in wine country, while Bulgaria suffered blazes along its southern borders as Hungary saw record-breaking weekend temperatures and fires caused evacuations in Turkey’s