- Countries in Western Europe are grappling with an impending heat wave this week.
- Temperatures are set to soar as high as 45 degrees Celsius, or 113 Fahrenheit, from Wednesday.
- Residents and tourists are trying to cool off by bathing in public fountains and lying by river banks. One man in Germany stripped off in a supermarket and ran through the frozen aisle.
- Animals are also trying to cool down by licking iced lollies and dousing themselves with water.
- Three people in France have died as a result of the rising temperatures already.
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Temperatures in Europe are soaring dramatically this week as forecasters predict highs of up to 45 degrees Celsius, or 113 Fahrenheit, this week.
France, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, Portugal, and Poland are gearing up for a massive heat wave from Wednesday, and it's not clear when it will end.
Read more: 'Hell is coming': Western Europe braces for its hottest weather since a 2003 heat wave killed 15,000 people in France
The last comparable heat wave in Europe came in August 2003, when temperatures in southern France hit has high as 44.1 C (111.4 F).
France saw 15,000 more deaths than usual that summer. Across the continent, some 70,000 people died prematurely as a result of the heat wave, according to The Guardian.
As of Wednesday, three people in southern France have already died of shock after plunging into cold water to escape the heat.
People - and animals - across continental Europe are bathing in fountains, canceling exams, and, in one case, ran naked through a supermarket frozen aisle to cool down. Scroll down to learn more.