London, July 20 (RHC)-- Temperatures in Britain topped 104 degrees Fahrenheit for the first time ever on Tuesday as a climate change-fueled heat wave scorched much of Europe. 

The BBC reports the London Fire Brigade had its busiest day since World War II as fires broke out across London in the record heat.  At one point, firefighters were battling 12 blazes simultaneously. 

Major wildfires in England, France, Germany, Portugal and Spain have burned thousands of acres in recent days.  In Portugal, authorities say the heat wave has killed at least 1,000 people.  Hundreds more have died in Spain. 

On Tuesday, the head of the World Meteorological Organization warned the climate crisis will only intensify extreme heat waves.  Petteri Taalas told reporters: “In the future, these kind of heat waves are going to be normal, and we will see even stronger extremes. We have already pumped so much carbon dioxide to the atmosphere that the negative trend will continue for the coming decades.  And so far, we haven’t been able to reduce our emissions globally.”