Southern Europe is experiencing very high temperatures while wildfires continue in many areas. The fire danger is expected to increase in Greece and Switzerland, according to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS).
In Italy: A total of 23 out of 27 major Italian cities are on “red alert” due to the heat wave that has gripped the country for weeks, Italy’s health ministry’s latest bulletin shows.
Milan and Turin in northern Italy are facing an “intermediate risk” due to the heat, which indicates the maximum level of risk only for the elderly, children and those with chronic diseases.
The Italian island of Sardinia on Wednesday recorded its hottest day ever with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in 80% of the area, CNN’s affiliate SkyTG24 reported Wednesday.
A series of heavy thunderstorms hit a large part of the northern Italian region of Trentino Alto Adige on Tuesday afternoon. After a few days with temperatures well above 30 degrees Celsius (at least 86 degrees Fahrenheit), several downpours flooded dozens of cellars and garages, while a strong wind in mountain areas approached 100 kilometers per hour, according to SkyTG24.
In Switzerland: A new forest fire broke out on Tuesday in Bitsch municipality located in the Valais district near the Italian border, the EU Emergency Response Coordination Centre said Wednesday. Over the next 48 hours, according to the EFFIS, the fire danger forecast is expected to be from low to moderate across Valais.
In Greece: The European Union is sending further assistance to Greece as the country continues to battle large wildfires, the EU said in a press release Wednesday. Two firefighting aircraft of the Italian firefighters’ service have been deployed to the northwest of Athens, the force said on Twitter.
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis also tweeted Wednesday that “Lithuania is responding to Greece’s international call for assistance and we are ready to send firefighters as soon as possible. We will always do what we can to help our partners and allies in an emergency.”
