Temperatures in France’s southern Gard region hit an all-time high of 45.9 degrees Celsius (114.62°F) on Friday – hotter than in California’s Death Valley – sparking scores of fires that burned 550 hectares of land and destroyed several homes and vehicles. One man died while competing on Saturday in a cycling race in the southwestern Ariege region, in the foothills of the Pyrenees. The 53-year-old crashed after feeling unwell, local public prosecutor Laurent Dumaine said on Sunday, adding police were investigating the precise cause of death. The race was called off after several participants were taken sick due to the heat, organizers said. Temperatures in Girona, in northeastern Spain, reached 43.9 degrees on Friday – the highest ever recorded in the Catalan city.

Source: National Post June 30, 2019 13:30 UTC