Europe Scorched by Extreme Heat as Temperatures Reach 41°C, Warnings Issued Over Fires and Water Crisis

Extreme heat has gripped Central Europe, with temperatures expected to reach up to 41 degrees Celsius in the coming days. Faced with severe weather conditions, authorities have stepped up emergency measures to address the risk of wildfires, water shortages and pressure on power grids.

In Hungary, the meteorological service is forecasting temperatures of up to 39 degrees Celsius, while they could reach 40-41 degrees over the next six days. Authorities have banned open-air fires across the country.

Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar has urged factories to voluntarily reduce their electricity consumption in an effort to avert a potential energy crisis.

Thousands of residents in the city of Szentendre have been left without water, while the military has been deployed to supply them with drinking water.

According to the authorities, the military is assisting with two water tankers and around 7,000 bags of water until the situation returns to normal. Meanwhile, the level of the Danube River has fallen significantly, causing problems for the operation of the Paks nuclear power plant.

The plant is currently operating at less than 50% of its two-gigawatt capacity and is expected to shut down temporarily if water levels continue to fall.

In Slovakia, heatwave alerts have been activated nationwide, with southwestern areas placed at the highest risk level. Temperatures are expected to range from 34 to 39 degrees Celsius over the weekend.

More than 30 relief stations have been set up in the capital, Bratislava, offering residents air-conditioned spaces, drinking water and hygiene supplies. Authorities have also warned of an increased risk of wildfires.

Slovenia is also facing similar conditions. The Slovenian Environment Agency (ARSO) has placed the western part of the country at an “extremely high” risk of wildfires and has restricted activities that could spark them.

Slovenia’s railway operator has ordered trains to reduce their speed in some areas during the hottest hours of the day to prevent problems caused by tracks warping in the high temperatures.

Along Slovenia’s Adriatic coast, the seawater temperature could exceed the record of 30.4 degrees Celsius set in 2010.

Yellow and orange alerts have been issued for the western half of Romania, where temperatures are expected to reach up to 40 degrees Celsius. Meteorologists have not ruled out raising the alert level in the coming days.

Austria is also facing extreme temperatures, reaching 38-39 degrees Celsius in eastern areas and up to 40 degrees locally.

According to GeoSphere Austria, the heatwave comes as the country experiences an “extreme” drought. Since the beginning of the year, rainfall in Austria has been around 30% below average, making the first half of 2026 one of the driest periods recorded since the beginning of the 20th century.