This made river water quality poor when the ash and soil washed into rivers.The satellite image shown above shows forest fires in southern Portugal and Spain in September 2003. Peer-reviewed analysis places the European death toll at more than 70,000. Forest fires broke out in many countries. This is an area the same size as Luxembourg. We knew that summer 2003 was remarkable: Britain experienced its record high temperature and continental Europe saw forest fires raging out of control, great rivers drying to a trickle and thousands of heat-related deaths. Knowledge of some protective behaviours, such as closing sun exposed windows during the day, was poor.Professor Mays said: "People especially vulnerable to hot weather include older people over age 75, and people with certain health conditions. Pictured is the Loire, France's longest river, after it almost dried up during the drought Credit: Cypris/WIKIMEDIA. France reported 14 802 casualties using a method This pattern occurred for much of the rest of the month. Dr Mark McCarthy is a climate change expert who works for the Met Office. ... Over 2000 people died in the UK, with the country recording is first ever temperature over 100° Fahrenheit on 10 th August. "However for some people, such as older people, those with underlying health conditions and young children, the summer heat can bring real health risks. Ourexplains more about how we use your data, and your rights. "The blast of warm weather has led some meteorologists to predict new June records will be set in France, Germany, Switzerland and Belgium in the coming days.France has been bracing for the heatwave, with temporary fountains put in place and plans for public pools to stay open for longer, amid forecasts suggesting temperatures could exceed 40C this week.The hot spell is set to be relatively short-lived in the UK, with unsettled weather moving in from the Atlantic on Sunday.People vulnerable to hot weather are being warned to take precautionsWhen you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Corrie's Mollie Gallagher looks very different as she takes break from filming 14 huge Corrie spoilers including Tim's exit and Todd's explosive return Russell Howard storms off stage after audience member caught filming him Single mum-of-five spends three years overhauling her family home on a budget Loose Women war breaks out as Coleen Nolan’s manager rants about Nadia Sawalha©News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. European heat wave of 2003, record high temperatures across Europe in 2003 that resulted in at least 30,000 deaths (more than 14,000 in France alone). 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Highest death toll from natural hazards in 50 years With a death toll estimated to exceed 30 000, the heat wave of 2003 is one of the ten deadliest natural disasters in Europe for the last 100 years and the worst in the last 50 years. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. "Based on experience of the past three summers, during which over 2500 extra deaths occurred during bouts of hot weather, more than 100 deaths could be expected over the weekend.“Many of these deaths are preventable if extra precautions are taken to protect those most at risk from overheating in their homes and other buildings, both during the day and at night. Air is moving around the high in a clockwise direction, bringing a hot, dry tropical continental air mass to the UK at this time. 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