Some parts of Western Europe were starting to cool off as the extreme heat that has gripped the continent moved east.

Wildfires were raging in Spain and France on Tuesday after a dayslong heat wave parched landscapes in the region and turned woodlands into tinderboxes.

The worst heat was felt in southern Europe, while punishing temperatures were forecast to reach 104 degrees Fahrenheit in Paris and remain unusually high in Belgium and the Netherlands.

A record-breaking heat wave in Europe has forced the shutdown of at least three nuclear reactors due to rising river temperatures used for cooling. One reactor at France’s Golfech Nuclear Power Plant was shut down after forecasts showed the Garonne River could exceed 28°C (82°F).

A marine heat wave in the Mediterranean is combining with a powerful heat dome to cause Europe to swelter under a brutal early summer heat wave.

Europe’s heat wave is set to peak over the coming days, with a blast of Saharan air triggering red alerts from France to the Swiss Alps.

Punishing temperatures were forecast to reach 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in Paris and to stay unusually high in Belgium and the Netherlands. In contrast, temperatures were falling in Portugal, where no red heat warnings were issued.

SCREENSHOT - Large area of forestry destroyed by fierce Catalonia wildfire Governor Delivers Blow to GOP with 169 Vetoes Over 60 UFO sightings reported whizzing across state in first half of 2025, national tracking group says White House Rose Garden disappears as iconic lawn completely paved over This Is How Long To Bake Ribs In The Oven For That Perfect Tender Texture ‘Could become a death spiral’: scientists discover what’s driving record die-offs of US honeybees Dumb Things In The Big Bang Theory That Everyone Ignores Climate scientist explains what made the Texas floods so extreme Amelia Earhart’s lost plane may be found in new expedition AI can make anyone rich: Mark Cuban says it could turn ‘just one dude in a basement’ into a trillionaire Mysterious 'tire traps' plague city streets as locals take matters into their own hands This Tech Stock Is Soaring After Takeover Deal.