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In early July 2026, France faced a severe heatwave causing mass mortality in poultry farms, with estimates of hundreds of thousands of birds dying due to heat stress. This phenomenon has prompted urgent action by farmers and public authorities to manage the disposal ('équarrissage') of deceased birds to prevent disease and environmental hazards. The crisis highlights vulnerabilities in agricultural and food supply chains to climatic extremes exacerbated by global climate change. Authorities have increased efforts to provide relief, improve farm cooling facilities, and develop contingency plans to reduce future impacts. The heatwave's effect on poultry production also raises broader questions about food security and sustainable farming practices in the face of increasingly frequent weather extremes. Media coverage emphasizes the severity and scale of losses, the logistical challenges of safe animal disposal, and the human toll for farmers dependent on livestock livelihoods.