A severe heatwave continued to scorch Europe on Monday, claiming lives, fueling wildfires, and setting new temperature records.
Across France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Turkey, and the Balkans, multiple towns and cities were placed under red alert warnings as extreme heat, fanned by strong winds, triggered mass evacuations and threatened major cultural landmarks.
In Italy, tragedy struck when a four-year-old Romanian boy died from heatstroke days after being found unconscious in his family’s car on the island of Sardinia. The Italian health ministry issued red alerts for seven major cities on Monday, including Bologna and Florence, with the number set to rise to 11 on Tuesday and 16 on Wednesday.
Spain battled intense wildfires, including one that damaged the UNESCO-listed Roman-era mining site of Las Médulas in the northwest. The blaze, driven by high winds of up to 40 km/h, forced the evacuation of around 700 residents. In the southern tourist town of Tarifa, more than 2,000 people were also evacuated after a previously subdued fire reignited.
Portugal is fighting three major wildfires in central and northern regions, with Morocco sending aircraft to assist after two Portuguese firefighting planes broke down. In Italy, around 190 firefighters and army personnel worked to contain a wildfire on Mount Vesuvius, prompting the closure of its national park to tourists.
The Balkans also faced multiple fire outbreaks. Albania reported nearly 40 fires in the past 24 hours, with over 34,000 hectares burned since July. Authorities arrested more than 20 people suspected of arson. Fires also raged in Montenegro and Croatia, where firefighters battled blazes near Split to protect homes.
In Turkey’s Canakkale province, over 2,000 people were evacuated and 77 treated for smoke inhalation after several wildfires broke out near the tourist village of Guzelyali. The country recently recorded its hottest July in 55 years.
France, meanwhile, recorded its second major heatwave of the summer, breaking temperature records in at least four locations. Bordeaux reached a historic 41.6°C, while Bergerac, Cognac, and Saint-Girons also posted all-time highs. Twelve French departments were placed on red alert on Monday, with four more expected to follow on Tuesday.
Meteorologists attribute the heatwave to a persistent “heat dome” over Europe. While storms may roar loudly, experts warn that heatwaves can be equally deadly—creeping in silently but leaving devastating impacts in their wake.
