France calls emergency meeting as heatwave grips parts of Europe

PARIS, France — PARIS — France will hold an emergency meeting on Monday as an extreme heatwave sweeps across France, Germany and Italy, prompting authorities to activate urgent public-safety measures. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu is set to chair the session amid warnings from Météo-France that the current wave is comparable in intensity to the severe episodes of 2003 and 2019. Météo-France said temperatures of 39 to 40 degrees Celsius would spread from the southwest toward the Paris region and Burgundy as of Sunday, with some areas expected to reach 41 degrees. The agency noted that readings could climb to historic record levels on Monday, and that the heatwave was forecast to persist throughout the week. In Germany, national heat warnings were issued as temperatures approached 38 degrees Celsius. The German Meteorological Service (DWD) warned that the combination of heat and humidity could produce strong thunderstorms across the country. Italy's southern Alpine regions were forecast to see temperatures of 36 to 37 degrees Celsius, disrupting daily life and tourism in several towns. No further operational details on the French emergency meeting were immediately available.