Published on •Updated
Paris’ Eiffel Tower and Louvre Museum will close early this weekend as yet another heatwave grips western Europe.
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The Eiffel Tower said it would “exceptionally close” at 4 pm on Saturday and Sunday due to high temperatures forecast in the French capital, while the Louvre will shutter at the same time through to Monday.
The Musée d’Orsay art gallery also announced that it would be closing from 5 pm from Saturday through to Wednesday.
24 departments across northwestern France are under a red heat alert on Saturday, according to Météo-France, affecting more than 22 million people.
Temperatures of around 35°C to 38°C are expected across most regions, with highs of up to 39°C forecast from Burgundy to Pays de la Loire.
Much of the rest of the country is also under an orange alert as residents prepare for the annual Bastille Day celebrations on 14 July.
It is the third heatwave to hit France since May.
Emmanuel Grégoire, the mayor of Paris, called a crisis meeting on Friday to help prepare for the hot spell.
Grégoire said the city would be extending heatwave measures, with parks and swimming pools open longer, drinking water stations available, and additional support for vulnerable residents.
In Spain, improving weather helped firefighters as they battled one of the country’s deadliest-ever wildfires on Saturday.
At least 12 people died and more than 1,400 were evacuated in the southeastern province of Almería after a fire ravaged the region this week. Authorities believe the blaze could have been caused by a fallen power line.
Spain’s national weather agency AEMET said high temperatures were expected across much of the Iberian Peninsula on Saturday afternoon, with highs of up to 36°C to 38°C.
Water reserves are being hit hard in northern Italy, threatening farming, as the River Po, the nation’s longest river, is facing a drought amid the sweltering conditions. The Po River District Basin Authority has called the situation “critical”.
