Spain, France and other western European nations on Saturday sweltered under a blistering June heatwave that has sparked forest fires and concerns that such early summer blasts of hot weather.

Iran PressEurope: The weather on Saturday was the peak of a June heatwave that is in line with scientists' predictions that such phenomena will now strike earlier in the year thanks to global warming.

The French southwestern town of Biarritz, one of the country's most sought-after seaside resorts, saw its highest all-time temperature Saturday at 41 degrees, state forecaster Meteo France said.

Temperatures in France could reach as high as 42 degrees C in some areas on Saturday, Meteo France said, adding that June records had already been beaten in 11 areas on Friday.

"This is the earliest heatwave ever recorded in France" 1947, said Matthieu Sorel, a climatologist at Meteo France.

The mercury soared to 32.7C on Friday as the UK recorded the hottest day of the year so far for the third day in a row. But temperatures could now fall as much as 15C in some parts of the country following the boiling spell. 219