Extreme weather events (EWEs) are the most direct and visible example of how climate change threatens human health. Despite the diversity of EWEs, they all have recurring impacts on mortality, morbidity, and mental health. These impacts largely depend on exposure conditions, the response measures implemented, and socioeconomic determinants. Forest fires and heat waves are the EWEs most likely to pose the highest risks to respiratory health, and they are likely to evolve rapidly in the coming years. Since 2004, more than 10,000 excess deaths have been recorded during heat waves in France, 76% of them occurring after 2015. Significant synergies between extreme heat and air pollution are now well-documented in the literature. In addition to appropriate behaviors and medical care during EWEs, adaptation efforts must now focus on long-term interventions, with the objectives of reducing exposure, improving environmental quality, and strengthening social ties.