Overview

• Météo-France placed 54 departments under orange heat alert on Saturday morning, with daytime highs reaching about 42°C in Montpellier and overnight lows remaining above 20°C.
• Fire danger in the Aude, Drôme and Vaucluse escalated to very high, and 330 firefighters continue battling an uncontrolled 16,000-hectare wildfire in the Corbières.
• Mediterranean sea-surface temperatures are nearing 30°C, prompting concerns over ecological stress in marine ecosystems.
• An €8 million emergency fund was announced to aid Aude farmers affected by the blaze and extreme heat conditions.
• Forecasters predict a progressive retreat of the heatwave from the north-west by Sunday, with thunderstorms expected early next week to usher in significant cooling.