Italy puts all major cities on red alert as Europe heat wave worsens

Rome,UPDATED: Aug 6, 2026 17:48 IST

Italy placed all its major cities under the highest heat alert on Thursday as a severe heat wave gripped Europe, with temperatures crossing 40 degrees Celsius in several countries and prompting health warnings for millions of people. The extreme weather also set a national temperature record in Austria, fed wildfires in France and disrupted energy production, transport and shipping across parts of the continent.

Authorities across Europe are dealing with the effects of the heat in different ways, from nationwide health alerts in Italy to drought-related pressure on rivers, industry and power systems in Central Europe, and wildfires from France to the Balkans. Scientists and officials have warned that such events are becoming more frequent and more 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, 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, stay indoors where possible and drink plenty of water as temperatures in some areas neared 40 degrees Celsius.

The heat also led to changes at major tourist sites 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, and extra medical stations were put in place.

Austria recorded the most intense temperature, with the mercury reaching 41.2 degrees Celsius on Wednesday in the village of Bad Deutsch-Altenburg near the Slovak border, according to GeoSphere Austria. It was the highest temperature ever recorded in the country. Austria is also facing severe drought, with rainfall from January 1 to June 30 running 27 per cent below the long-term national average, while some eastern areas received only half their normal rainfall. Climatologist Alexander Orlik said some parts of the country had not seen such dry conditions since 1885.

In Hungary, prolonged drought and record-low water levels on the Danube River severely affected the country's only nuclear power plant, which depends on river water to cool its reactors. Operators cut output to about 10 per cent of normal production, leading the government to introduce emergency conservation steps as a record-breaking heat wave continued. Major industrial users and households were asked to reduce electricity use, especially between 5 pm and 10 pm. Freight trains were barred from operating during those hours, decorative lighting on landmarks in Budapest was switched off, and companies including Mol, Gedeon Richter, Suzuki, Mercedes-Benz, Audi and BMW said they would curb power use. The government also cancelled parliamentary sessions this week to conserve electricity. On Wednesday night, Budapest recorded its warmest overnight low on record, with temperatures dropping only to 28 degrees Celsius.

Germany also faced concern over the impact of drought as water levels in the Rhine and other rivers continued to fall, raising 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 look beyond the economic impact and focus on making rivers more resilient to climate change by retaining more water in landscapes and reducing withdrawals during drought.

In southeastern France, firefighters kept a strong presence in the Var region after authorities said a major wildfire there 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 left southeastern France at very high risk of more wildfires.

The heat wave reached its peak across the Balkans on Thursday as temperatures neared 40 degrees Celsius and authorities battled drought and fires. In Serbia, firefighters were trying 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 harder. In neighbouring Croatia, tourists in Dubrovnik stayed in the shade 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 heightened threat of wildfires.

With PTI Inputs

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