The recent heat wave in Portugal resulted in firefighters battling flames across the country, while having to deal with “extreme” levels of drought and the possibility of water rationing becoming an ever increasing reality.

Across Europe many other countries are feeling the heat too.

Spain

Like Portugal, Spain is burning, with more than 30 active fires in the country and temperatures topping the 40 degree mark.

These high temperatures have been leading to deaths with the Carlos III Health Institute, registering 360 deaths due to the heat between 10 and 15 of July.

France

Meteorologists are warning of a "heat apocalypse" in France while more than 8,500 people have fled their homes to escape a massive fire triggered by the heat wave in southern Europe which has claimed hundreds of lives.

Temperatures continue to break records on French territory. Brest, a city in the Brittany region, recorded the highest temperature ever felt there: 35.8 degrees. Already much of the rest of the country has recorded temperatures above 40 degrees.

As a result, 15 departments across the country have declared the highest alert status for high temperatures and 51 have remained on orange alert.

“In some areas of the southwest, it will be a heat apocalypse,” meteorologist François Gourand told Agence France-Presse.

Melanie Vogel, a French senator, warned on Twitter that the ground temperature in France is around 48 degrees: "This is not 'just summer'. It is 'just hell' and soon it will become 'just the end of life for human beings' if we continue with our climate inaction”.

There are several active fires, with several thousand people having to be evacuated, mainly in the south of the country. In Gironde, 8,000 people were evacuated from their homes due to two large fires that lasted a week and that have already burned more than 13,000 hectares of vegetation.

Italy

Northern Italy is facing a severe drought. Between Parma and Reggio Emilia, the bed of the river Po is completely dry.

The river is the main artery that runs through the heart of Italy, where 30% of its food is produced.

The drought, combined with the fact that it has not rained for more than 200 days, led the Italian government to declare a state of emergency in northern Italy. The month of May was the hottest in 19 years.

UK

Temperatures are much higher than usual with the hottest place being Nottinghamshire, which could reach 41 degrees.

For the first time ever, much of the UK is under red alert due to the heat.

On Wednesday temperatures are expected to drop, however, until then the authorities are advising people to only leave the house if necessary.