Firefighters are battling to contain wildfires in France and Spain as Europe wilts under an unusually extreme heat wave that authorities link to a rise in excess mortality.

Two blazes that have been consuming pine forests for six days running just south of the city of Bordeaux have forced the evacuation of some 14,000 people.

Spain is trying to stamp out over 30 fires consuming forests spread across the country.

The heat wave has kept highs above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in many parts of Spain.

Spain’s Carlos III Institute says that 360 deaths from July 10th to July 15th can be attributed to high temperatures.

Meanwhile in Britain, the government held an emergency meeting Saturday to plan for possibly record-breaking temperatures on Monday and Tuesday.

The British weather service says temperatures could hit 40 degrees Celsius (104 F), endangering lives in a country that has little air conditioning.