France triggers first ever 'Orsec extreme heat' plan as 24 departments face red alert on Saturday
Government spokeswoman Maud Bregeon announced the first activation of the 'Orsec chaleurs extrêmes' protocol on Friday, targeting vulnerable people as Météo-France places 24 western departments on red alert for Saturday.
A first for the Orsec protocol
France activated its 'Orsec chaleurs extrêmes' plan for the first time on Friday, a protocol designed to protect the most vulnerable during extreme heat episodes. Government spokeswoman Maud Bregeon announced the move on TF1, stating the plan draws on lessons from previous heatwaves.
The objective of this Orsec extreme heat plan, which did not exist in the past, is to take into account the feedback from recent waves.
She noted that isolated, elderly urban residents suffer disproportionately higher mortality. The plan opens dedicated centres where people can rest and cool down.
Red alerts spread across the west
Météo-France confirmed that 24 departments in the north-west quarter of France will be placed on red alert on Saturday. Nine departments in the west had already moved to red on Friday. On Friday, 72 departments were under orange alert, with 56 others expected to join them on Saturday alongside the 24 red-alert zones.
- National average temperature reaches 27°C; Narbonne records 41.2°C, Vannes 36.8°C.
- 72 departments under orange alert; government announces first Orsec activation.
- Nine western departments shift to red alert.
- 24 departments to be placed on red alert; 56 others on orange.
Only Corsica, the Côte d'Azur, the far north and a few mountain departments are expected to escape the extreme temperatures. Friday afternoon forecasts put highs at 38 to 40°C from Poitou-Charentes to the southern parts of Pays-de-la-Loire and Centre-Val-de-Loire, with 36 to 38°C across the rest of the northern half of the country, including 37°C in Paris.
A third wave in two months
This is the third heatwave to strike France in two months. On Thursday, the national average temperature reached 27°C, calculated by Météo-France across the mainland. The agency expects that figure to climb in the coming days, approaching the historic record of 30°C set on 24 and 25 June at the peak of the second heatwave episode. Thursday saw the highest local reading at Narbonne in Aude, which hit 41.2°C, while Brittany recorded unusually high temperatures, including 36.8°C at Vannes.
- Narbonne (Aude)
- 41.2 °C
- Vannes (Bretagne)
- 36.8 °C
- Paris (forecast)
- 37 °C
- National average
- 27 °C
- Historic record (24–25 June)
- 30 °C
A plan built on hard lessons
The Orsec protocol did not exist during earlier extreme heat events. Bregeon emphasised that the structure is a direct response to mortality patterns observed in past summers, where people living alone in urban areas bore the heaviest toll. By pre-emptively opening cooling centres and coordinating local services, the government aims to curb excess deaths before the temperatures peak over the weekend. The plan applies specifically to departments placed on red alert by Météo-France.
