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France registered a series of record-high nighttime temperatures as authorities kept 80 departments under an orange heat alert, with forecasters warning that temperatures could climb to 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in parts of the country on Thursday.
The records were broken in northwestern France, with a weather station in Savigny-en-Veron, Indre-et-Loire, recording a high of 24.5°C, while Cholet in Maine-et-Loire and Loudun in Vienne each recorded 23.6°C, according to broadcaster BFMTV.
Records were also set in Tours, Indre-et-Loire, and Pellevoisin, Indre, where temperatures reached 23.1°C at both locations.
Eighty departments were placed under an orange heat wave alert by weather service Meteo-France for Thursday and Friday, with temperatures forecast to reach 40°C in some areas.
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Fifty departments are under an orange alert for high risk of forest fire.
On Wednesday, a fire broke out near Rennes, affecting 200 hectares (494 acres) and forcing the evacuation of nearly 100 people. The fire broke out in the commune of Saint-Just, about 50 kilometers south of Rennes in the Ille-et-Vilaine department.
It was brought under control Thursday morning with the help of 131 firefighters and 34 firefighting vehicles, reinforced by a helicopter and water tankers sent from neighboring Morbihan and Mayenne departments.
Local farmers also assisted operations by providing water tanks and agricultural equipment. No homes or buildings were damaged, and no civilians were hurt. The fire, which injured three firefighters, was brought under control early Thursday.
In the northern Pas-de-Calais department, another fire had burned 180 hectares and remained uncontained. The fire broke out Wednesday in the area of Mont Saint-Frieux, between the towns of Dannes and Neufchatel-Hardelot, and prompted the evacuation of about 1,200 vacationers from a nearby campsite, who were later allowed to return. One house was destroyed in the blaze.
By Thursday morning, authorities said the fire had been contained in Neufchatel-Hardelot but remained active in Dannes, with more than 100 firefighters and two water-carrying helicopters deployed. No injuries have been reported.
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