AN SECOND European heatwave brought temperatures in to the 40Cs.

An all-time record was set in France a few weeks ago, sparking wildfires across the continent in a week of searing temperatures which set record highs.

9 People bathe in the Trocadero Fountain near the Eiffel Tower in Paris during Friday's heatwave Credit: AFP or licensors

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How hot will it get in France?

Paris saw temperatures reach 42.6C on July 25.

A red alert - the highest level - was issued in northern France.

Meanwhile Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands also reached new record highs, of 41.8C, 41.5C, 40.8C and 40.7C respectively.

As pollution increases, only vehicles with a special clean air certificate will be allowed into central Paris in the heat, the local authorities said.

A “level three” alert which includes measures to ensure that elderly and vulnerable people are checked up on regularly, and that rooms are set aside for shelter, was put in place.

Which countries have been affected?

The heatwave of June 2019 engulfed countries including France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium the Czech Republic and Poland.

A new record high of 45.9C was measured in the southern town of Gallargues-le-Montueux, in the south-east.

The previous record was 44.1C registered near Narbonne during the summer 2003 heatwave where a staggering 15,000 people died from illnesses related to the heat.

Hundreds of firefighters battled to contain wildfires raging in southern France.

Scores of fires razed 600 hectares (1,500 acres), destroying several homes and vehicles, in the Gard region, said emergency services.

The World Meteorological Organisation said this week that 2019 was on track to be among the world's hottest years, and 2015-2019 would be the hottest five-year period on record.

It said the European heatwave was "absolutely consistent" with extremes linked to the impact of greenhouse gas emissions.

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Spain felt the first wave of heat before it spread across the continentAuthorities in Paris set up “cool rooms” in municipal buildings, opening pools for late-night swimming and installing extra drinking fountains.

Germany, France, Poland and the Czech Republic have all recorded their highest-ever June temperatures.

In Spain firefighters are battling Catalonia's worst wildfires in 20 years.

Blazes have also broken out in Greece and Germany.

Rainy weather and lower temperatures are on their way, following last weekend's heatwave.

Temperatures dropped dramatically in France to the 20s, though highs of 31 are still expected this weekend.

9 Faithful brave the heat to attend Pope Francis' weekly general audience in Saint Peter's Square, Vatican City Credit: EPA

9 A boy jumps into the water of the Trocadero Fountain in Paris during the heatwave on June 28 Credit: AFP or licensors

9 People enjoy the Mediterranean Sea on Friday, June 28, on a beach in Marseille, southern France Credit: AP:Associated Press

How many people have died in the heatwave so far?

It is unclear at this stage but at least 15 people have died so far.

Three died in southern France, two have passed away in Spain and at least a further three people have died in central and northern Italy.

Hospitals in the financial capital Milan saw a 35 per cent rise in emergency visits due to heat-related conditions, local media reported.

A 17-year-old boy died in hospital on Friday morning after suffering heat exhaustion while working in the countryside in Cordoba in southern Spain.

The death of an 80-year-old man in Valladolid, northern Spain, has also been blamed on the heat.

Two men, aged 70 and 75, and a 62-year-old woman died in the south of France from suspected cold shock after entering water to escape the blistering heat.

The freak weather is reviving memories in France of August 2003, when searing temperatures overwhelmed hospitals and caused the deaths of some 15,000 people, mostly elderly.

In the UK, five people have tragically died as a result of the heatwave.

A 63-year-old, pulled from the sea off the coast of Yaverland on the Isle of Wight.

Meanwhile another holidaymaker died after he got into difficulty yesterday at nearby Prussia Cove, Cornwall, between Helston and Penzance.

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What caused the June heatwave?

A bubble of Saharan air and high pressure over central and eastern Europe has brought scorching heat across the continent.

This has caused an unseasonably early heatwave, which has also been caused by a storm stalling over the Atlantic Ocean.

Heatwaves are not uncommon during summer.

But according to weather experts they are being amplified by a rise in global temperatures.

Hannah Cloke, a professor at Britain's University of Reading, said: "An increase in heatwaves is one of the clearest impacts of climate change.

"Killer heat events of this kind will become even more widespread by the middle of the century in Europe, but this outlook could get worse unless action is taken to curb future greenhouse gas emissions."

9 Wildfires in Brandenburg, Ziltendorf, Germany Credit: Rex Features

9 Firemen construct a water wall for people in Graz, Austria Credit: Rex Features

9 Scorching: A pharmacy sign showed the moment the mercury hit 44C in southern France during the heatwave Credit: AFP or licensors