A severe heatwave continues to dominate much of Southern and Eastern Europe, bringing dangerously high temperatures, straining public services, and raising alarms over potential wildfires.
Italy and several Balkan nations are among the hardest hit, with authorities urging caution especially for vulnerable populations like the elderly.
In Italy, meteorological services have issued red-level heat alerts—the highest warning category—for 22 cities spanning from the northern city of Bolzano to Palermo in Sicily.
These conditions are testing daily life, with many seeking relief in public spaces. At the Vatican, visitors attending Pope Leo’s Angelus address on the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul used fans and umbrellas to cope with the sweltering conditions.
The Balkans are experiencing similar extremes. Croatia’s weather authorities placed multiple areas on high alert, including the capital Zagreb and popular coastal destinations like Split and Dubrovnik.
Firefighters on the island of Vis, roughly 55 km southwest of Split, worked alongside aircraft to control a blaze spreading through pine forests. Nearby in Albania, crews successfully contained another fire that affected brush and olive groves close to the village of Klos.
Temperatures exceeding 35°C (95°F) are forecast across parts of Croatia, Serbia, Romania, and Hungary, exacerbating concerns. While localized thunderstorms may provide some temporary cooling and reduce fire risks in spots, experts note that rainfall varies significantly by location and may not offer widespread relief.
Italian Meteorological Society president Luca Mercalli highlighted the dual challenges of heat-driven fire risks alongside patchy storms.
Forecasters, including Italian Air Force meteorologist Daniele Mocio, indicate that current elevated temperatures—8 to 10 degrees Celsius above seasonal norms—will likely persist for several more days. A fresh wave of hot conditions could impact additional countries, including France, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, and parts of Britain, starting around July 5 or 6.
This ongoing heat event, which intensified around June 20, has placed significant pressure on healthcare facilities, energy supplies, and infrastructure.
The World Health Organization reports over 1,300 excess deaths across Europe since June 21, with older adults facing the greatest danger. France alone has seen approximately 1,000 heat-related excess fatalities, according to its public health authorities, and local reports describe challenges for funeral services in the Paris area.
Scientists attribute much of the intensity to human-induced climate change. They describe the current pattern as virtually impossible in a world without such influences, noting that extreme nighttime temperatures have become far more probable.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has emphasized that Europe is warming at roughly twice the global average rate, calling heat stress a “silent killer” and pointing out that many buildings were not designed for such conditions.
