France’s national meteorological agency, Météo-France, has placed 53 administrative areas under a heatwave alert starting Friday afternoon. The advisory covers a wide region stretching from the southwest to the northeast of the country. On Thursday, 26 areas were under an orange alert, and an additional 27 areas were added a day later.

According to Météo-France, this is the second heatwave of the spring season in France and is expected to be extensive, long-lasting, and intense. The agency forecast maximum temperatures between 34 and 36 degrees Celsius across the Massif Central to the northeastern regions, with temperatures possibly reaching 38 degrees Celsius near the French Riviera and Corsica. In Paris and the Île-de-France region, highs are expected to range from 36 to 37 degrees Celsius.

The alert underscores growing concerns about prolonged heat conditions across France, as residents in Paris and other regions seek relief from the rising temperatures.