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Europe is facing an extreme heat wave, which is breaking the record temperatures for June.
The German Meteorological Agency announced Wednesday that a record temperature of 38.6 (101.48 F) degrees was measured in the city of Koschen near the border with Poland. This is the highest temperature ever recorded in June in Germany.
Poland also announced a record temperature for June in the city of Radzyn in eastern Poland, which reached 38.1 (100.58 F) degrees. In the Czech Republic, an all-time record temperature for June was recorded at 38.5 (101.3 F) degrees.
The unprecedented heat wave has led to a wave of major fires in several European countries. In Spain, over 500 firefighters, soldiers and fire fighting planes are fighting huge fires in the province of Tarragona in Catalonia, which has destroyed vast forest areas. "Hell is coming," the weather anchor on Spanish television, wrote on Twitter.
Germany also suffered from major forest fires. The authorities imposed speed limits on some roads, while in France many vehicles were removed from the road by the local police.
Fans have been sold out from French stores in recent days. In Rome, the local zoo guards have been feeding popsicles to the animals to cool them down.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on Thursday that temperatures are expected to rise further and are likely to set a new record for June ahead of next week's relief with cooler temperatures.
"The current rise in extreme heat is exactly what climate scientists have predicted regarding greenhouse warming due to greenhouse gas emissions, burning of coal, oil and gas," said Stefan Ramsdorf, one of the heads of the Institute for Climate Research in Potsdam, Germany.