France Imposes Heat Restrictions as Temperatures Near 40 C

France has restricted public alcohol consumption, canceled some outdoor sports events, and placed emergency services and military forces on wildfire alert as a heat wave spreads across parts of Europe. About a third of the country is under the national weather service’s red alert on Sunday, with temperatures expected to reach 40 C (104 F) in some areas.

Air conditioning is not widespread, and the forecast for Monday is even hotter.

The Eiffel Tower and other Paris venues have set up misting stations to cool crowds. National and local authorities announced additional steps to reduce heat-related risks. Authorities are especially concerned about people living on the streets and elderly residents in nursing homes or isolated housing. France recorded about 15,000 heat-related deaths among older people during a 2003 heat wave.

France’s annual Music Day on Sunday features thousands of concerts across the country. The government ordered event organizers to limit alcohol sales to preserve emergency services and focus medical resources on the most vulnerable. The government also announced reinforced wildfire readiness on Saturday and ordered tighter surveillance of water supplies for the country’s nuclear reactors.

Schools will close only as a last resort, though some afternoon exams may be postponed.

“The government ordered organizers of music day events to limit alcohol use to preserve emergency services and allow medics to concentrate on taking care of the most vulnerable.”

Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu held a government heat crisis meeting on Saturday and scheduled another for Sunday. ” The World Health Organization’s Europe office reported that more than 200,000 people across Europe have died from heat-related causes in the last four years, most of them preventable.