The Ministry of Health of the Mediterranean country Italy has declared the highest heat warning level for 17 major cities – including the capital Rome, Florence and Bologna. This means that even healthy people may face negative physical effects there. The Air Force’s weather service is forecasting temperatures of around 38 degrees in Rome and Florence, and between 36 and 37 degrees in Bologna and Perugia.
It might be particularly hot in some areas of the southern Italian regions of Apulia and Basilicata, as well as on the Mediterranean island of Sicily. In some places, temperatures might even reach 40 degrees. The high pressure area “Caronte” has been bringing high temperatures to Italy for several days. The relatively high humidity in particular makes the high temperatures in the cities difficult to bear.
According to meteorologists, the heat wave is expected to continue until Sunday. After that, some regions, especially in the north, are expected to cool slightly and temperatures will become more bearable. This might be accompanied by severe weather and thunderstorms.
Acropolis in Athens closed
A heat wave that has been ongoing since almost the beginning of July has affected large parts of Greece reached a new peak on Thursday. Because temperatures are expected to exceed 43 degrees in some places, all archaeological sites will be closed between 12:00 and 17:00 local time, the Ministry of Culture announced. The sites affected include the landmark of Athens, the Acropolis, and the ancient site of Olympia. Meanwhile, scorching heat is also prevailing in Spain, for example in Andalusia.
The civil defense warned of a high risk of fire in most regions of central and southern Greece. The smallest fire might turn into a major fire due to the dry conditions and strong winds currently blowing around the Aegean, a fire department spokesman said on Greek television. The situation is somewhat better on Crete and the islands of the Aegean. There, the sea breeze is cooling temperatures to around 35 degrees, the weather office said.
The Greek Ministry of Labor ordered that all delivery services be suspended during the hot followingnoon hours (12:00 to 17:00). Construction work was also suspended at noon for the next five hours. According to the Ministry of Labor, anyone who can can work from home. Meteorologists said on the radio that temperatures might reach more than 60 degrees under the sun. This is life-threatening, they said.
Forest fire in Croatia
Dozens of firefighters and three firefighting planes fought a forest fire near the popular Croatian holiday resort of Trogir on Thursday evening. Around 70 firefighters prevented the fire from spreading to houses and a hotel complex, the national fire brigade association said. “There is no threat to houses and tourists,” said chief fire brigade commander Slavko Tucakovic.
The fire on the Adriatic coast is under control, the fire brigade association continued. In the village of Seget Donji, the fire spread to a large forest area by the sea near a campsite, according to a report by state television. Like the other Balkan countries, Croatia suffering from a prolonged heat wave with temperatures above 37 degrees Celsius.
Image: STRINGER (AFP)
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Image: STRINGER (AFP)
A large forest fire in the Slovenian Karst region, which on Thursday destroyed around 150 hectares of forest on Mount Trstelj in West Slovenia was contained overnight, Slovenian media reported on Friday. Around 400 firefighters were deployed overnight, and during the day two firefighting aircraft and helicopters were also used to extinguish the fire.
“We have surrounded the fire and brought the situation under control. The fire has not yet been extinguished, it is still smoldering in some areas, but there are currently no open flames,” said fire chief Boris Peternelj to the STA news agency on Friday morning. According to his estimates, the fire was still smoldering on an area of around 100 hectares.
The emergency services hope to be able to completely extinguish the fire on Friday. This will depend mainly on the wind, which made extinguishing the fire difficult on Thursday. The wind died down overnight, but according to the weather forecast it is likely to get stronger once more during the day. Relief is expected on Saturday, although rain is expected in the affected part of the country, it was said.
The highest temperatures in the country were measured on Friday in these places in Europe and Turkey (in degrees Celsius)
1. Kalamata (Greece, Peloponnese region) 42.0
2. Antalya (Turkey) 42.0
3. Granada (Spain, Region of Andalusia) 41.7
4. Shkodra (Albania) 41.2
5. Marina di Ginosa (Italy, Apulia Region) 40.1