Paris (France) (AFP) – Here are the latest developments in Europe’s heatwave.

Scientists have shown that recurring heatwaves are a clear marker of global warming driven by humans burning fossil fuels, and warn they are set to become more frequent, longer and more intense.

Dutch festival cancelled

Organisers have cancelled the four-day techno music festival Defqon.1 in Biddinghuizen in the central Netherlands, scheduled to start on Thursday, its director Sander Bijlstra told the ANP news agency.

The Lago Lago electronic music festival in Stroombroek meanwhile said it would restrict alcohol sales.

Poland fire warning

Heat combined with record-low May rainfall have significantly increased the risk of fires in forests and national parks in Poland, officials warned.

A spokesman for Poland’s long-distance rail operator, PKP Intercity, told AFP the heatwave was expected to affect traffic, with overhead power lines sagging and rails deforming.

Battle re-enactment scrapped

Organisers in Belgium said they had cancelled this weekend’s reenactment of Napoleon’s defeat at the battle of Waterloo because of the heatwave.

Cash for schools

More than 130 million euros have been allocated to fund cooling systems and renovation works in French schools and nurseries, state-owned utility EDF and several lenders said.

Germany faces extreme heat

Germany’s weather service warned that the intense heat would spread over the weekend across the whole of the country.

“In many places—from the southwest and west through the centre to the east—extreme heat is also expected,” said the service.

The service’s map of Germany was almost completely dark purple, signifying extreme heat warnings.

Pride parade cancelled

Organisers of Paris pride cancelled festivities in the sweltering French capital this weekend after Paris police said they would otherwise ban the parties.

Hospitals in the greater Paris region have been overwhelmed trying to keep up with soaring heat-related emergencies and issues.

150 mn to face 35C+ Friday

At least 150 million people in Europe will roast in temperatures of 35C and above on Friday, according to an AFP analysis.

French drowning toll rises

At least 55 people have drowned in France since the heatwave began, the sports minister said Friday, warning the death toll could rise further.

Many of the deaths were young people swimming in unauthorised areas to escape the searing heat.

Climate change blamed

Human-caused climate change is “unequivocally” responsible for the intensity of a record-breaking heatwave scorching Europe, scientists said Friday.

It would have been “virtually impossible” for such exceptional temperatures to occur in June 50 years ago, the World Weather Attribution group of scientists said.

Paris alcohol ban

French authorities banned public alcohol consumption and sales in Paris from Friday, which they say is meant to take pressure off hospitals overwhelmed by the impact of the heatwave.

‘Saturation point’

“We are reaching a saturation point in hospital facilities,” said Paris police prefect Patrice Faure, adding: “the number of hospitalisations keeps increasing.”

UK record broken again

The UK suffered its hottest ever June day Thursday, with temperatures reaching 36.7C in the southwest, breaking a record set earlier that day.

Germany just off record

In Germany, temperatures reached 39C in the southwestern town of Kirrlach, just shy of the June record of 39.6 set in 2019, according to provisional data from the German Weather Service (DWD).

Experts say the record could easily be broken over the weekend.