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The summer of 2026 has started in a big way, with much of Europe charredthermometers climbing to record values and governments wondering how on earth to tackle the risks that the heatwave has for the health of the population. In France they have been clear: declaring war on alcohol. With dozens of regions On red alert due to extreme heat, the French authorities have decided to put limits on the consumption of beer, wine and cocktails. It may seem shocking in a world that usually goes for beers (or drinks) to cool off, but it makes all the sense in the world. And for several reasons. Europe is burning. It may sound exaggerated, but if at any time it is justified to talk about temperatures scorching in Europe it is now. In Spain the first heat wave of the summer has sent the mercury skyrocketing above 40º in several parts of the country and the situation is not much better in other parts of Europe, such as Germany, Italy, United Kingdom or Belgium, where thermometers have reached (or easily exceeded) 30 degrees. Beyond the weather reports, the heat has already forced sports events to be cancelled, interrupt rail services or launch alerts. The objective: avoid episodes like the one in the summer of 2023, when another extreme heat wave left more than 62,000 dead in Europe. This same Sunday, Madrid decided, for example, to suspend the broadcast of the match with Saudi Arabia on the XXL screen in the Plaza de Colón. The reason: the forecast before 39ºC was reached. Like a ‘frying pan’. Another country that has not been spared from the heatwave is France. Over there 53 million people They were yesterday in areas with first or second level heat alerts. In fact, the country left an unpublished image: 35 of its 96 continental departments were on red alert and another 45 on orange. Faced with such a panorama, the authorities have decided to close at least 845 schools and adapt the schedules of hundreds of other centers to avoid the hottest hours. And that is just one of the measures activated by the Government. In Paris, for example, the Prefecture asked to the organizers of outdoor sporting events to cancel their tests in order to avoid unnecessary risks. An “explosive” mix. In France the Government encountered more than just heat. The dog days coincided there, among other events, with the Fête de la Musiquea festive day during which open-air concerts are organized and thousands of people celebrate in style in the streets, squares and parks. “Heat wave and Music Festival: an explosive combination that worries law enforcement agencies,” titled yesterday one of his chronicles on the BFM channel before remembering that Météo-France has extended the red alert to 49 departments. Stop alcohol. That parks are opened, classes suspended or races postponed to combat the heat wave is hardly surprising. What is most striking is another of the measures adopted in France: restrict the alcohol. As reports the France24 networkthe French authorities decided to ban drinking in public spaces in certain departments of the country, especially affected by the extreme heat wave. The sales restrictions lasted between early Sunday and Mondaywith the sight set especially at the Fête de la Musique and other celebrations planned throughout the country. Closed bars. “The prefects will issue decrees prohibiting the consumption of alcohol in public spaces in the departments on red alert,” the Government warned in a statementin which it also warned that events organized by the State itself and its agencies would close their bars. As if the message were not strong enough, the mayor of Paris warned to his neighbors about the risks of excessive drinking: “The combination of alcohol, heat and proximity of water are three factors that do not mix.” But… Why? The decision may seem shocking, but it makes perfect sense. And for several reasons. To begin with, by restricting alcohol consumption, especially during a day marked by street parties and concerts, the Government has wanted “preserve emergency services and medical care” and that “health personnel focus on caring for the most vulnerable.” In short: fewer drinking-related emergencies (falls, drownings, comas, fights…) so as not to neglect the real priority: the heatwave. In Paris, where the alert was activated, consumption was banned of strong drinks, such as high-proof beers, liqueurs or fortified wines, on the banks of the Seine and the Canal Saint-Martin precisely to avoid ‘scares’. Those who wanted to drink had to go to licensed bars, pubs or cafes. “Without realizing it”. There is another reason why the decision of the French authorities is totally logical. As explained on Saturday in France Info the Minister of Health, Stéphanie Rist, by drinking a beer or a glass of wine we may have the impression that we are cooling off, but we are really boycotting the mechanisms our body uses to self-regulate. “You become dehydrated three to four times faster without even realizing it.” Alcohol has a diuretic effect and blocks vasopressin, remember from RFIwhich means that the ‘normal’ functioning of our body is altered. We go to the bathroom more, we sweat less, our body temperature rises and we become dehydrated, something that is not particularly advisable when we live in a region on alert for high temperatures and the thermometer exceeds 35º. “The body’s internal thermostat stops reacting correctly to overheating signals; our body no longer knows when to sweat and dilate blood vessels,” insist the French Institute of Health (Inserm). Images | DAT VO (Unsplash) and Venus Major (Unsplash) In Xataka | We are at 44 degrees and AEMET says that the worst is yet to come. The good news is that we already know when thermal relief arrives.