France’s Fifth Heatwave Eases as Records Stand and Landes Fires Burn

Overview

• Météo‑France said the national thermal indicator (ITN) reached about 28.8°C on Thursday, August 13, making that day one of the hottest on record and triggering many monthly and some absolute station records.
• Authorities moved large areas through heightened alerts at the peak, with Météo‑France placing as many as 83 departments in orange on August 14 before that number fell to 64 on August 15 and to 28 by August 16 as cooler air advanced from the northwest.
• Forecast models and the meteorological service predict a progressive cooling pushed by maritime air and storm clusters from the Manche, but forecasts show the south‑east will remain at elevated temperatures into the coming week.
• Major wildfires in the Landes have burned roughly 1,300 hectares in recent updates, forced several hundred evacuations, and remain active under variable winds while authorities continue large firefighting and investigative operations into their origins.
• The episode, the fifth heatwave since May and started around July 28, has already exceeded the 2003 event in duration, raising concerns about more frequent, longer heat extremes and their direct impacts on health, firefighting resources and local evacuation needs.