By: Joshua Nakhavanit

This summer in Western European Countries, many records are being broken due to the massive heatwaves stemming from hot winds in Africa. London and many other cities are suffering severely from the lack of air conditioning, creating a hot and sweltering atmosphere in buildings not accommodated to these soaring temperatures.

On Friday France recorded its hottest temperatures for June ever at 107 degrees Fahrenheit (41.7 Celcius). France authorities advise going to a dedicated “cooling” website. It includes many activities and “islands” of coolness such as pools, parks, and museums. It also includes “cooling routes” such as trees and shady routes that connect to other islands.

In Spain they’ve labeled this as one of the most major heatwaves in the last 40 years, having the highest temperatures since the 1950s. One of the highest temperatures in this wave was located in southern Spain, hitting 111.5 degrees Fahrenheit (44.2 Celcius)

Spain’s authorities have issued an extreme risk of wildfires, evacuating thousands of people and sending firefighters to put out ongoing fires. Many baby birds in southern Spain are dying from the scorching heat. Scientists conclude that the heatwave has coincided with the bird’s hatching season. The birds typically create their nests in buildings or in areas around houses. This “bakes” the baby birds and through panic, they jump out of their nests and die.

The lack of air conditioning installation in countries like France and Germany really devastated the residents of these countries especially in these high temperatures. France and Germany only have roughly 5% buildings with AC installed, while the US has over 60% – 75% of buildings with AC.