Italy puts all major cities on highest heat alert as Europe swelters under record temperatures

Italy placed all 27 cities monitored by its national heat surveillance system on red alert Thursday, the first time the entire network has been under the highest warning level at once. The alerts stretch from Trieste in the northeast to Palermo in Sicily, signalling a health risk for the whole population rather than only vulnerable groups. Temperatures have pushed above 40°C in several countries, with Austria recording an all-time high of 41.2°C at Bad Deutsch-Altenburg and Slovakia setting a new national record of 42.2°C at Dolne Plachtince.

The extreme heat is exposing frailties across energy, transport and public health infrastructure. In Slovakia, low water levels on the Danube forced the Gabčíkovo hydroelectric plant, the country's largest, to shut seven of its eight turbines, cutting output 15% below last year. In Hungary, the Paks nuclear plant, which relies on the same river for cooling, has reduced generation to roughly 10% of capacity, prompting emergency power-saving measures that include banning freight trains during peak evening hours, switching off decorative lighting in Budapest and asking major industrial users such as Mol, Gedeon Richter, Suzuki, Mercedes-Benz, Audi and BMW to curb consumption.

Italian cities adapt tourist sites and create urban cooling zones

Rome has extended evening opening hours at the Colosseum and Pantheon, installed misting fans at the Colosseum entrances and added medical stations. The city has also opened a free municipal "urban beach" along the Tiber in the Marconi district, known as Tiberis, where residents can use swimming pools, fountains and shaded areas. "It is excellent, it is a great initiative. They did the right thing, specially with such hot days it is important to cool down with water, specially for children," said Rome resident Claudio Rocchi.

Wildfires and river transport disrupted across the continent

In southeastern France, a wildfire in the Var region that began on 20 July has burned more than 60 square kilometres, the largest in the area in recent decades. Authorities warn that strong winds and tinder-dry conditions keep the reignition risk very high. In Germany, falling water levels on the Rhine are threatening inland shipping and industrial logistics, prompting Transport Minister Steffen Bilger to meet affected organisations. Environmental group BUND urged a focus on river resilience, not just economic impacts. A grass fire temporarily closed the southern runway at Heathrow in London on Thursday, a reminder of the UK's driest July on record.

Balkans brace for peak heat and fire outbreaks

The heatwave reached its peak across the Balkans on Thursday with temperatures nearing 40°C. In Serbia, firefighters battled multiple blazes, including a major fire in pine forests west of Belgrade and another near Kraljevo where difficult terrain hampered efforts. In Croatia, tourists in Dubrovnik sought shade and avoided beaches during the hottest hours as temperatures soared along the Adriatic coast. Scientists and officials stress that such events are becoming more frequent and intense as the climate warms, forcing governments and businesses to adapt infrastructure and emergency planning for a new normal of recurring extreme heat.