Italy: Italy placed all its major cities under the highest heat alert on Thursday as a severe heat wave swept across Europe, with temperatures crossing 40 degrees Celsius in several countries.
The extreme weather also set a national temperature record in Austria, fueled wildfires in France and disrupted energy production, transport and shipping across parts of the continent.
Authorities across Europe are dealing with the impact of the heat in different ways, from nationwide health alerts in Italy to drought-related pressure on rivers, industries and power systems in Central Europe, along with wildfires spreading from France to the Balkans. Scientists and officials have warned that such events are becoming more frequent and intense as the climate warms.
Italy’s Health Ministry placed all 27 cities covered by its national heat surveillance system on red alert on Thursday, marking the first time this year that the entire network has been under the highest warning level at the same time.
The alerts covered cities from Trieste in the northeast to Palermo in Sicily and indicated a health risk for the entire population, not only older people and those with chronic illnesses. Residents and tourists were advised to avoid direct sunlight during the hottest part of the day, remain indoors where possible and drink plenty of water as temperatures in some areas approached 40 degrees Celsius.
The heat also led to changes at major tourist locations in Italy. The tourism and culture ministries extended evening opening hours at landmarks including Rome’s Colosseum and Pantheon. Cooling mist fans were installed at the entrances to the Colosseum, while additional medical stations were arranged.
Austria recorded its highest-ever temperature on Wednesday, with the mercury reaching 41.2 degrees Celsius in the village of Bad Deutsch-Altenburg near the Slovak border, according to GeoSphere Austria.
The country is also facing severe drought conditions, with rainfall between January 1 and June 30 remaining 27 per cent below the long-term national average. Some eastern regions received only half their normal rainfall. Climatologist Alexander Orlik said some parts of Austria had not experienced such dry conditions since 1885.
In Hungary, prolonged drought and record-low water levels in the Danube River severely affected the country’s only nuclear power plant, which relies on river water to cool its reactors. Operators reduced output to around 10 per cent of normal production, prompting the government to introduce emergency conservation measures.
Major industrial users and households were asked to reduce electricity consumption, especially between 5 pm and 10 pm. Freight trains were restricted from operating during those hours, decorative lighting on Budapest landmarks was switched off, and companies including Mol, Gedeon Richter, Suzuki, Mercedes-Benz, Audi and BMW said they would cut power usage.
The government also cancelled parliamentary sessions this week to conserve electricity. On Wednesday night, Budapest recorded its warmest overnight low on record, with temperatures falling only to 28 degrees Celsius.
Germany also faced concerns over drought as water levels in the Rhine and other rivers continued to decline, increasing pressure on transport and industry.
Transport Minister Steffen Bilger met affected organisations on Thursday and said low water levels posed major challenges for inland waterway shipping, industry and the wider logistics chain. Environmental group BUND urged authorities to focus on making rivers more resilient to climate change by retaining more water in landscapes and reducing withdrawals during drought.
In southeastern France, firefighters continued monitoring the Var region after authorities said a major wildfire was no longer spreading but could still reignite. The fire, which began on July 20, has burned more than 60 square kilometres, making it the largest recorded in the region in recent decades.
Authorities said strong winds and extremely dry conditions had left southeastern France at very high risk of further wildfires.
The heat wave reached its peak across the Balkans on Thursday, with temperatures nearing 40 degrees Celsius as authorities battled drought and fires.
In Serbia, firefighters worked to contain several blazes after days of dry weather, including a major fire in pine forests west of Belgrade and another near the central town of Kraljevo, where difficult terrain made firefighting more difficult.
In neighbouring Croatia, tourists in Dubrovnik stayed in shaded areas and avoided beaches during the hottest part of the day as temperatures rose along the Adriatic coast.
Across Europe, the heat wave has brought health risks, record temperatures, drought, pressure on power and transport systems, and a growing threat of wildfires.
