Paris — A heat wave gripping parts of Europe sent temperatures over 40 degrees Celsius (109.4 Fahrenheit) in southern France and the Western Balkans on Monday, fueling wildfires, triggering top-level weather alerts and forcing evacuations in several countries across what scientists warn is the world’s fastest-warming continent.

France is battling its largest wildfire of the summer as a massive, fast-moving blaze rages through the Aude region near the Spanish border, scorching over 12,000 hectares—an area bigger than Paris. The fire has left at least one person dead at home,

PATRAS, Greece,/MADRID (Reuters) -Wildfires fanned by a heatwave and strong winds continued to rage across southern Europe on Wednesday, burning houses, farms and factories and forcing the evacuation of thousands of residents and tourists.