The ongoing heatwave that swept across Europe during the last week of June has resulted in more than 2,000 excess deaths in France, according to the French Public Health agency. This represents a 29% increase compared to the previous week, with a significant rise in deaths among individuals over 45 years old. The highest temperatures were recorded on June 24th, with an average country-wide temperature of nearly 41 degrees Celsius in Paris and half of France under a red heat alert. Forecasters predict further extreme temperatures to hit the continent in the coming days, particularly in France and southern Britain. Meanwhile, millions of Americans are already grappling with prolonged heatwaves and high humidity during their July Fourth holiday weekend. The rapid warming of Europe, which is heating up twice as fast as the global average, is causing increased summer heatwaves, pressure on water supplies, and more intense wildfires. Belgium recorded 1,222 excess deaths during the heatwave, while the Netherlands experienced approximately 480 excess deaths last week. The French government has issued red alerts for forest fires in the southern part of the country due to a "very high" risk of outbreaks compared to summer norms, with temperatures forecast to reach 40 degrees Celsius in the south of France over the weekend. Portugal and Spain have also been warned of potential heatwaves, with the Portuguese government declaring a state of alert until midnight on Tuesday.