In pictures: Europe's June 2019 heatwave

Temperatures reached 40C in parts of southern France on Thursday

People across Europe are searching for ways to keep cool amid soaring temperatures.

A heatwave - caused by a plume of hot air from the Sahara, according to meteorologists - is sweeping parts of the continent, with Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic seeing their highest ever June temperatures on Wednesday, and intense heat in the southwest on Thursday.

As temperatures topped 40C (104F) in some parts of northern Spain, the region of Catalonia's worst wildfires in 20 years seemed likely to spread rapidly.

It looks likely it will get hotter still, with possible record temperatures in France in the coming days.

The fire near the Catalan town of La Torre de l'Espanyol has already affected at least 4,000 hectares (10,000 acres)

Firefighters have been battling the blazes since Wednesday

Forecasts of 40C+ temperatures in northern Italy were not quite realised, but people and animals alike still needed to cool off

A child cools off under a fountain in Montpellier, southern France

The Spanish capital Madrid avoided the hotter temperatures further north

An animal keeper ensures South American tapir "Bambou" is protected from the rays in Germany

A jaguar took a plunge in a pool in Bordeaux-Pessac zoo in southwestern France on Wednesday

A man takes a picturesque sunset dip in Lake Geneva

In Rome, umbrellas proved a popular way to hide from the soaring temperatures

In the French Riviera city of Nice, temperatures hit 33C on Monday

A polar bear cools down with frozen fruit at Hannover Zoo in Germany

Like many in Europe, this man in the German city of Straubing went for a swim on Wednesday as temperatures continued to rise

A young boy puts a fountain to good use in Hungary

A couple swim past a model boat at the Schwarzachtal lakes in southern Germany

The Prague public soak up the sun

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