Key Points

• Between August 12 and 21, 49 departments in 8 regions (Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Occitanie, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, Grand Est, PACA, Corsica, and Centre-Val-de-Loire) were placed under an orange heat wave alert for at least one day. On August 22, 4 departments in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes were placed under a red heat wave alert, and 50 are under an orange alert; an extension of the red alert is expected for August 23 (19 departments) as well as the orange alert (3 additional departments). Météo France forecasts the likely end of the heatwave for Friday, August 25, or Saturday, August 26.

• In regions under an orange alert, analysis of emergency care visits between August 12 and 21 indicates an increase in the iCanicule indicator (hyperthermia/heatstroke, dehydration, hyponatremia), linked to rising temperatures, with a peak on August 21 for emergency room visits and SOS-médecins consultations. All age groups are affected, particularly those under 15 for hospital emergency rooms and those over 75 for SOS-médecins.

• These data will be consolidated in the coming days as the number of departments under an orange or red alert expands on Wednesday and Thursday.

• Heat poses a health risk to the entire population. The observed health impacts underscore the importance of implementing preventive measures to mitigate the effects of the heat.