ATHENS: Millions of people across three continents suffered a sustained spell of heat on Wednesday as fires raged, health worries mounted and temperature records tumbled.

Experts pointed the finger at climate change driven by the burning of fossil fuels, saying global warming had a key role in destructive weather.

Governments issued safety warnings, including in Greece which was among the nations battling wildfires.

The heat waves across Europe and the globe are “not one single phenomenon but several acting at the same time”, said Robert Vautard, director of France’s Pierre-Simon Laplace climate institute.

“But they are all strengthened by one factor: climate change,” he added.

Two forest fires, fanned by strong winds, were raging to the west of Athens, while another broke out on the tourist island of Rhodes — where locals had to decide whether to flee.

“I am not leaving. I started building this house when I was 27 years old by myself,” said Dimitris Michaelous, a resident in the fire-threatened town of Pournari.

Greece’s firefighters said Romania, Slovakia and Poland would send some 230 firefighters to help it tackle the blazes.

France said on Wednesday temperatures of up 40 degrees Celsius were expected in parts of the country’s south, including on the Mediterranean holiday island Corsica.

A high of 29.5°C was recorded in the French Alpine ski resort of Alpe d’Huez, while 40.6°C was recorded for the first time in Verdun in the foothills of the Pyrenees.

Beijing broke a 23-year-old record with 27 consecutive days of temperatures above 35°C.

“At noon, it feels like the sun is roasting my legs, it feels like my skin is burning,” said Qiu Yichong, a 22-year-old student.

Published in Dawn, July 20th, 2023