India, June 22 -- France is putting emergency services and military forces on wildfire alert, restricting public alcohol consumption and cancelling some outdoor sports events to cope with a heat wave unfurling across parts of Europe.

About a third of France is under the national weather service's heat red alert on Sunday and temperatures are high nationwide, expected to reach 40 C on Sunday in some areas, in a country where air-conditioning isn't widespread. The forecast for Monday is even hotter.

The Eiffel Tower and other Paris venues set up misting stations to cool crowds, among a raft of measures announced by national and local authorities to minimize risks.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Pioneer....