France sees hottest year on record

France this year experienced the hottest year since records began, the country’s national weather service said on Wednesday, as global warming stokes temperatures globally.

A cascade of extreme weather exacerbated by climate change devastated communities across the globe this year, including sweltering heat and drought across Europe that wilted crops, drove forest fires and saw major rivers shrink to a trickle.

France saw temperatures surge repeatedly in successive heatwaves from May and into October, accompanied by extreme events like wildfires in areas like north-western Brittany, and damaging marine heatwaves in the Mediterranean. “All the months of the year have been warmer than normal, except January and April,” said Meteo France in a statement.