France faces record heat and drought as dried rivers exceed 1,373

France is experiencing its most critical drought conditions on record, with the number of dried-up rivers reaching 1,373 as of August 1. This represents a significant increase of 554 rivers from the previous month, according to data from the French Biodiversity Office (OFB).

The drought threat now affects over 80% of the French mainland. Officials describe the current situation as the most critical drought observed for this period of the year, noting it is approximately twice as severe as last year's drought. Regions like Creuse, Vendee, Loire-Atlantique, Aveyron, Cote-d'Or, Nievre, Deux-Sevres, and Charente-Maritime are among the most severely impacted.

Water restrictions are in place across more than half of the country's departments due to the drought. Compounding the crisis, France is also enduring record-breaking heatwaves, with 78 departments issued an "orange alert." Temperatures are expected to exceed 40 degrees Celsius in some cities.

This combination of extreme heat and drought has fueled France's worst wildfire season in history. The government has reported that over 117,000 hectares have burned since the beginning of the year.