Western Europe is facing another strong heatwave, with record temperatures, prolonged drought and an increase in the number of fires in several countries.
In Italy, today four cities are on red alert for high temperatures, while 11 others on orange alert. Tomorrow the situation is expected to worsen further, with seven cities at the maximum alert level: Turin, Brescia, Bologna, Florence, Perugia, Rome and Frosinone, while eight others will be on orange alert.
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The scorching air mass of African origin will bring this week the highest temperatures of the third heatwave of the season.
Meteorologists predict that in the interior areas of Sardinia temperatures could reach up to 45 degrees Celsius between Thursday and Friday. A day earlier, in Orani, in the province of Nuoro, the thermometer recorded 41.9°C.
The situation will also be affected by a Saharan dust cloud that is approaching. It may somewhat moderate the sun’s rays during the day and bring a slight drop in temperatures, but at night it will hinder the dispersion of heat from the ground into the atmosphere, keeping temperatures higher.
Extreme temperatures and the prolonged drought, which has dried out the soil and vegetation in many areas, have created ideal conditions for the spread of fires.
In Aglientu, in northern Sardinia, where temperatures reached 37 degrees Celsius, firefighters had to quickly evacuate tourists due to a fire that engulfed a nearby pine forest.
Two Canadair planes and helicopters of the regional firefighting service were also engaged in the operation.
In Campania, a fire broke out in a scrubland area near the Italian Air Force Academy in Pozzuoli. The flames affected two car dealerships and damaged more than 40 cars. As a precaution, some homes in the surrounding area were also evacuated.
A victim was also recorded in Sicily. A 78-year-old man lost his life in a fire that broke out on his land, while he was burning shrubs and the strong wind spread the flames. In the Catania area, firefighters carried out 22 interventions for shrub and vegetation fires.
Meanwhile, in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, fires have intensified again in the Carnia and Valcellina areas. The regional Forest Corps is monitoring the situation also with drones equipped with thermal cameras.
In Piedmont, only a few hotspots remain active from last week’s fires, which burned about 700,000 trees. According to Lorenzo Elia, deputy director of the Central Department for Emergencies and Technical Assistance of the Italian Firefighters, the forest area burned across the country during 2026 has increased by 10-15% compared to the same period last year.
France has also faced large fires. A wind-favored fire engulfed the Fontainebleau forest on Sunday, about 60 kilometers southeast of Paris.
About 800 firefighters and two Canadair planes took part in the operation, which for the first time took water from the Seine River. About 1,000 hectares of forest burned.
Two people suspected of arson have been arrested. French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said that, “about a dozen ignition points were found within a radius of one kilometer.” By yesterday afternoon, the fire appeared to be under control.
The successive heatwaves that have hit Western Europe have also brought serious consequences to people’s health, especially the elderly and the most vulnerable.
According to EuroMOMO, the European institution that monitors mortality, about 10,000 excess deaths were recorded compared to the average during the last week of June, of which about 9,000 were people over 65.
“It is difficult to explain these figures by anything other than extreme heat,” said Lasse Vestergaard, head of the Statens Serum Institute, which administers EuroMOMO.
A study published by researchers from Imperial College, Met Office and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine estimates that about 2,700 people lost their lives from heatwaves in England and Wales during May and June.
