Europe is experiencing a record wave of heat, leading to hundreds of deaths from overheating, melting asphalt, and deformation of railway tracks, with Italy and the Balkans feeling the greatest impact on Monday.
Situation in Italy and Europe
In Italy, a red heat warning was issued for 22 cities on Monday, from Bolzano in the north to Palermo on the southern island of Sicily. Vatican pilgrims used fans for cooling and stayed in the shade under umbrellas.
Overall, Western Europe is preparing for a new wave of intense heat expected next week after temperatures dropped from record June highs.
Fires in the Balkans
On Monday, the meteorological service in Croatia issued a red alert for the capital Zagreb, as well as for the tourist destinations Split and Dubrovnik. Dozens of firefighters, supported by four aircraft, battled a forest fire that was destroying pine forests on the tourist island of Vis in the Adriatic Sea, about 55 km southwest of Split.
Serbia also recorded temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius in some areas on the same day the extreme weather and heat warnings came into effect, strongly recommending residents stay indoors and avoid strenuous outdoor activity.
Further south, Albania localized a forest fire that destroyed hectares of shrubs and olive trees near the southern village of Klos over the weekend.
Consequences and Forecasts
The heatwave, which began on June 20, set records for the start of summer. This abnormal heat disrupted electricity generation, damaged infrastructure, and overloaded healthcare systems.
France registered 1,000 heatstroke deaths, according to the French public health agency, mostly affecting the elderly, and further increases in casualties are expected. French media reported that mortuaries in Paris and its surroundings were overwhelmed by the number of bodies.
Scientists note that such a heatwave would be 'practically impossible' without human-caused climate change, which made the rise in nighttime temperatures this week 100 times more likely than two decades ago.
Daniele Moccio, a meteorologist from the BBC Italy, predicts that the heat will continue in Central and Eastern Europe in the coming days, with temperatures exceeding the average by 8–10 degrees Celsius. Any relief further west in Europe is likely to be short-lived.
Luca Mercalli, President of the Italian Meteorological Society, stated that temperatures will begin to rise again on July 5 or 6. He specified that the affected areas are generally similar to the first waves, including France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, and to some extent the United Kingdom. Mercalli added that while extreme heat increases the risk of forest fires, heavy rainfall is also observed, which reduces this risk, although the amount of precipitation can vary greatly due to the local nature of the storms.
