Red Alerts and Wildfires Grip the Balkans
Croatia issued red weather alerts on Monday for several regions, including the capital Zagreb and the tourist hotspots of Split and Dubrovnik, as a record-breaking heatwave continued to scorch Southeastern Europe. Dozens of firefighters, supported by four aircraft, battled a wildfire consuming pine forests on the Adriatic island of Vis, about 55 kilometers southwest of Split. In neighboring Serbia, the State Hydrometeorological Service (RHMZ) warned that temperatures would reach 39 degrees Celsius (102 degrees Fahrenheit) on Monday.
Further south, Albania managed to contain a wildfire that had destroyed hectares of bushes and olive trees near the southern village of Klos over the weekend. The Balkans are the latest region to feel the effects of the extreme heat that has disrupted daily life across the continent for more than a week.
Heatwave Causes Hundreds of Excess Deaths
Scientists have described the heatwave, which began on June 20, as the worst recorded in Europe. The blistering conditions have disrupted power generation, damaged infrastructure, and overwhelmed healthcare systems. France has reported 1,000 excess deaths during the heatwave, according to the French public health agency, which noted that most fatalities involved older people and warned the number was expected to rise. The heatwave would have been "virtually impossible" without human-caused climate change, scientists said, adding that soaring night-time temperatures are now 100 times more likely than they were two decades ago.
Heat to Intensify Again in Western Europe
Luca Mercalli, president of Italy's Meteorological Society, warned that temperatures are set to soar again from July 5-6. "The areas affected look broadly the same as in the first wave, including France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Switzerland and to some extent Britain," he said. "With the extreme heat the risk of forest fires increases, but we are also seeing a lot of rainstorms, which obviously mitigates that risk," he added, noting that storms are very localized so rainfall amounts can vary greatly.
Tragedies Reported Across Europe
Over the weekend, further tragedies linked to the heat were reported. In Cyprus, police said two boys aged 8 and 10 from Bulgaria were found dead in a hot car on Sunday afternoon. Cyprus is currently experiencing temperatures of around 38°C, which is not classified as a heatwave for the time of year on the east Mediterranean island. In Poland, two cyclists—a 30-year-old and a 71-year-old—died while participating in the Poland Bike Marathon series in Marki near Warsaw on Sunday. Poland recorded a new national high temperature on Sunday, reaching 40.5°C.
