Rome, Venice, and 19 additional cities across Italy are under a red alert this weekend due to soaring temperatures, with the Balkans also experiencing extreme heat, prompting health warnings.
In Croatia, the capital city Zagreb and the eastern regions face the highest risk of heat, as indicated by the national Meteorological and Hydrological Service.
Officials are on high alert following forest fires over the weekend that devastated numerous homes along the tourism-focused southern coast.
In Albania, firefighters reported controlling eight wildfires in the last 24 hours.
“Prepare to suspend outdoor activities and brace for high temperatures that may pose health risks to vulnerable populations, such as the elderly and very young,” stated Bosnia’s meteorological institute.
People use umbrellas to provide shade while travelling by gondola in Venice
This marks the first of at least three anticipated heatwaves in Bosnia during the June-August timeframe, according to Bakir Krajinovic from the country’s Federal Hydro-Meteorological Institute.
Temperatures this month have already surpassed predictions, and forecasts for July and August suggest they will be four to five degrees higher than normal, Mr. Krajinovic noted.
Additionally, this June has recorded the lowest rainfall in Bosnia since measurements began 135 years ago, making it the driest on record.
Mr. Krajinovic mentioned that climate change is leading to “more intense” weather phenomena and breaking records “more frequently.”
In Serbia, certain areas are expected to reach 39°C, significantly above the seasonal average, as per Serbia’s National Hydrometeorological Service.
The heat is predicted to ease today, with a slight temperature drop over the weekend before rising again next week, according to weather forecasts for various Balkan countries.
Meanwhile, Greek firefighters reported that a forest fire prompting evacuations around Athens is now under control, though they cautioned that high temperatures continue to elevate fire risks in the capital and on northern Aegean islands.
The fire near Athens ignited yesterday close to Palaia Fokaia and Thymari, roughly 50km east of the city, leading to the evacuation of five villages popular with both local and foreign tourists.
Fields, olive groves and some houses were destroyed in the blaze
While the fire is under control, the dangerous combination of high temperatures and strong winds keeps the risk of new fires significantly heightened, particularly in the Attica region surrounding the Greek capital and some northern Aegean islands, according to authorities.
A representative from the fire service stated that over 100 firefighters, along with 37 vehicles and a helicopter, are stationed near Palaia Fokaia and Thymari.
Fields, olive groves, and some residences have been devastated by the blaze.
This incident followed another fire on the island of Chios—Greece’s fifth-largest island—that has already decimated more than 4,000 hectares of land in just four days.
Weather agencies anticipate a heatwave in the upcoming days, with temperatures expected to exceed 40 degrees Celsius, including in the capital city of Athens.
