Countries across Europe were battling a wave of new wildfires Friday as blistering temperatures and tinder-dry landscapes made for dangerous conditions.
Europe is the fastest-warming continent and, in some places, ill-equipped to deal with hot weather. Scientists blame ever hotter and more frequent heatwaves on human-caused climate change.
What has become a historically hot summer of wildfires has contributed to the deaths of thousands of people.
Friday is expected to see some 150 million Europeans -- particularly in France, Germany, Spain and Italy -- experience temperatures over 35C, according to AFP calculations.
And temperatures of over 30C are set to affect some 350 million residents, accounting for three in five people in Europe (excluding Turkey), an AFP analysis of German weather service and Joint Research Centre population data found.
