Parts of Europe burn as millions are facing record heat

MADRID (AP) — Wildfires burned in parts of Europe on Tuesday as millions of people across the continent struggled to adapt to the new reality: record summer heat.

Temperatures in some areas soared past 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit).

Europe is warming faster than any other continent, at twice the speed of the global average since the 1980s, according to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service. Last year was the hottest year on record in Europe and globally, the monitoring agency said.

Scientists warn climate change is exacerbating the frequency and intensity of heat and dryness, making parts of Europe more vulnerable to wildfires. The burning of fuels like gasoline, oil and coal releases heat-trapping gasses that are the main driver of climate change.

https://apnews.com/article/europe-spain-portugal-wildfires-climate-change-1533bd1d950306686cf433a3a75095d6