Czech news in brief for June 27: Saturday's top afternoon headlines

Czechia recorded its highest-ever temperature on Saturday when the Doksany weather station measured 40.6 degrees Celsius, surpassing the previous national record of 40.4 degrees set in 2012. Meteorologists said temperatures were still rising across parts of the country during the peak of an extreme heatwave.

It's hot out there: The Czech Hydrometeorological Institute confirmed that a separate station near Prague also reached 40 degrees, marking the first time such values were recorded in June. Forecasters warned that additional records could still fall as the heatwave continues into Sunday.

Czech Minister of Culture Oto Klempíř was booed and jeered while delivering remarks at the International Folklore Festival in Strážnice on Friday. The minister later said the hostile reception reflected local resentment as well as the effects of heat and alcohol, while organizers said no further incidents occurred.

Political reaction: Klempíř’s comments drew criticism from opposition politicians, who accused him of insulting festival attendees. The annual event, which attracts about 30,000 visitors, canceled Saturday’s ceremonial parade because of extreme heat.

Six Czech players will compete on the opening day of Wimbledon on Monday, including former champion Barbora Krejčíková and 10th seed Karolína Muchová. They will be joined by Kateřina Siniaková, Nikola Bartůňková, Darja Viďmanová, and Dalibor Svrčina in first-round matches at the All England Club.

Vying for glory: Debutants Viďmanová and Svrčina will be the first Czechs in action, facing fourth seed Jessica Pegula and 16th seed Learner Tien, respectively. 2024 champion Krejčíková is scheduled to close play on Court 3 against Britain's Hannah Klugman.

Firefighters were battling a large fire at a woodworking workshop and storage buildings in Prague’s Sedlec district on Saturday afternoon. A third-level fire alert was declared as crews worked for several hours to bring the blaze under control in challenging heat.

Key details: Fire officials said the fire was divided into two operational sectors, with multiple water streams and a drone equipped with a thermal camera supporting the response. After suppressing the main flames, crews continued extinguishing the fire from outside because parts of the roof had collapsed.

Firefighters in Prague rescued two young children from a locked car on Friday after a passerby alerted emergency services. The mother had briefly left the two toddlers, aged around two and four, while shopping, according to police. Fire crews broke a window to reach the children during extreme heat conditions.

No injuries: The children were checked by paramedics, given fluids, and later returned to their parents after no medical complications were found. Emergency services said temperatures inside vehicles can rise rapidly during heatwaves, posing serious health risks.