Countries such as Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece have seen highs of more than 40 degrees Celsius in recent days.

Firefighters were battling blazes in France, Spain and Portugal. Forecasters warned that temperatures would soar above 110 degrees Fahrenheit in some places.

Extreme heat has smashed temperature records across Europe in recent days, fueling wildfires. Weather forecaster Meteo France said in an update that "unprecedented maximum temperatures, often 12 degrees above normal levels" were set earlier in the week.