In Aude, a patchwork of vineyards and Mediterranean scrubland, hundreds of firefighters remained on the hillsides guarding the edges of a massive blaze that scorched 16,000 hectares last week. Officials say the flames are under control, but warn the fire will not be fully extinguished for weeks, with hot spots still smoldering.

The national weather authority, Meteo-France, placed 12 departments on red alert, France’s highest heat warning, anticipating exceptional heat stretching from the Atlantic coast to the Mediterranean plains. Forty-one other departments were under lower-level orange alerts, as was the neighbouring microstate of Andorra.

The national weather authority, Meteo-France, placed 12 departments on red alert, France’s highest heat warning, anticipating exceptional heat stretching from the Atlantic coast to the Mediterranean plains. Forty-one other departments were under lower-level orange alerts, as was the neighbouring microstate of Andorra, between France and Spain.

Temperature records were broken at at least four weather stations in southern France on Monday as much of the country baked in a new summer heatwave and the government called for vigilance.

A heat wave gripped parts of Europe on Monday, sending temperatures up to 43 degrees Celsius (109.4 Fahrenheit) in southern France and increasing risks of wildfires in wine country, while Bulgaria suffered blazes along its southern borders and Hungary saw record-breaking weekend temperatures.