Tourists warned as parts of Europe fry in extreme heatwave
Europe is currently enduring a series of intense heatwaves, with temperatures soaring above 40C across Italy, Spain, and Greece, prompting urgent warnings from local authorities regarding the heightened risk of wildfires. Experts are directly linking the escalating frequency and intensity of these extreme weather events to the climate crisis, indicating a concerning trend for the region.
Before the weekend, severe heat gripped Italy, Greece, Spain, and Portugal, forcing both residents and holidaymakers to seek refuge from the scorching conditions. The sustained high temperatures underscore the growing challenge posed by a warming planet, as such extreme weather phenomena are projected to become an increasingly common and severe feature of Europe's southern landscape.
Two-thirds of Portugal were on high alert on Sunday over extreme heat and wildfires, with temperatures expected to top 42C in Lisbon.
In Italy, a few regions - Lazio, Tuscany, Calabria, Puglia and Umbria - were planning to ban some outdoor work activities during the hottest hours of the day in response to the record high temperatures. Italian trade unions pushed the government to expand such measures at a national level.
On Sunday, the Italian health ministry placed 21 out of 27 monitored cities under its highest heat alert, including top holiday destinations like Rome, Milan and Naples.
In Rome, tourists tried to seek shade near popular spots like the Colosseum and the Trevi Fountain, using umbrellas and drinking from public water fountains to stay cool.
Similar scenes were reported in Milan and Naples, where street vendors sold lemonade to tourists and residents to offer some refreshment from the heat.
Greece was again on high wildfire alert because of extreme weather, with the first summer heat wave expected to continue throughout the weekend.
A large wildfire broke out south of Athens on Thursday, forcing evacuations and road closures near the ancient Temple of Poseidon. Strong winds spread the flames, damaging homes and sending smoke across the sky.
There are also reports of some of the tourist islands limiting water supply during the heatwave.
Experts warned that intense heat can affect daily life, especially for vulnerable populations such as the elderly and children.
Local authorities advised against physical activity during the hottest hours of the day, and recommended drinking plenty of fluids.
A Lancet Public Health study published last year highlighted the increasing risk of heat-related deaths because of climate change. The study predicted that heat-related deaths could more than quadruple by mid-century under current climate policies.
While more people die from cold than heat, the study stressed that rising temperatures will offset the benefits of milder winters, leading to a significant net increase in heat-related mortality.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
2 hours ago
- The Guardian
Scottish firefighters tackle wildfires for third day as risk to life grows
Firefighters battled wildfires in the Scottish Highlands for a third day on Monday in a situation the first minister has called 'extremely serious'. The Scottish Gamekeepers Association (SGA), which has helped tackle the blazes, warned the fires are 'becoming a danger to human life' that are leaving 'stretched' firefighters unable to attend other incidents. On Saturday morning, the Scottish fire and rescue service was alerted to a fire near the Highland village of Carrbridge. By Monday evening, the fire service said it was still tackling several wildfire incidents in the area. At 8.40pm on Monday, the fire service urged residents in the vicinity of the fire to 'ensure their windows and doors are closed to prevent smoke from entering'. It said: 'Our firefighters continue to work tirelessly to tackle several wildfire incidents from Carrbridge in Highland to Dallas, outside Forres in Moray. 'A significant number of resources and special resources have been mobilised throughout the area.' A flood alert was issued for some of the affected areas by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, which said: 'Minor flooding impacts and disruption to travel is possible if the heaviest rain falls in vulnerable areas.' The SGA said that a 'round-the-clock effort' from gamekeepers and land managers, working with the fire service, helped prevent two fires from merging into one larger blaze – a move that would have been a 'nightmare scenario'. Scottish first minister John Swinney said on X: 'The wildfires that are taking place are extremely serious. Please follow all of the advice available. Grateful to Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and local people for their efforts to get the fires under control. Fergus Ewing, the MSP for Inverness and Nairn constituency, said the wildfires 'raging' across the area were 'said by many locals to be the worst in our history'. He added that he had already urged the Scottish government to convene its emergency response committee – the Scottish government resilience room, known as SGORR. The SGA called on the Scottish government's nature advisers at NatureScot to visit the sites of these blazes to see first-hand their impact and the efforts required to tackle them. Speaking about the blazes, an SGA spokesperson said: 'This is becoming a danger to human life because firefighters are becoming so stretched dealing with wildfires that they don't have the resources to attend other fires.' They insisted: 'We need to have the Scottish government and their advisers out now to see what is happening, while these fires are ongoing.' One witness, who tried to put the initial fire out, told BBC Scotland News that the seat of the wildfire was a ring of stones where a camp fire had been lit and camping chairs had been abandoned. Dræyk van der Hørn, a Scottish Greens councillor for Moray, photographed the wildfires from a summit in the Cairngorms earlier on Monday. He said: 'Wildfires in Scotland were once a rarity. Not any more. 'Hotter, drier springs and summers – driven by the accelerating climate crisis – are turning our landscapes into tinderboxes. 'Fires are now more frequent, more intense and more destructive. This is not a distant warning. 'Climate change is here, and Moray, and Scotland are on the frontline.'
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Pia and Patrick Whitesell reveal their VERY unlikely Aussie superstar pal at wild rave in Mexico
Pia Whitesell and her millionaire husband Patrick have been living it up in Mexico. And on Monday, the Australian actress revealed the couple's very unlikely friendship with Aussie tennis star Pat Rafter as they partied in the North American country. The former Home and Away star, 41, posted a photo of her husband Patrick with the retired sports player to Instagram. In the image, the pair were all smiles as they wrapped their arms around each other and posed for the camera. 'Pat & Pat!' Pia captioned the post, adding a love heart emoji. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Pia and her wealthy husband appear to be enjoying the quiet life as his ex-wife Lauren Sanchez and Jeff Bezos tied the knot in Italy over the weekend. The US journalist, 55, and the Amazon founder, 61, got married in an ostentatious three-day ceremony across the ocean in Italy. Lauren and Jeff made headlines six years ago when their illicit affair came to light, effectively ending two marriages – Lauren and Patrick, and Jeff and MacKenzie Scott. Jeff and Lauren said 'I do' in a lavish ceremony on Friday on the picturesque San Giorgio Maggiore island, exchanging vows in front of nearly 200 high-profile guests. Described as the 'wedding of the century', the Amazon founder and former journalist welcomed nearly 200 VIPs to Venice for three days of lavish celebrations. The nuptials come two years after Jeff asked Lauren to marry him on his $500 million superyacht. Jeff and Lauren welcomed a slew of their famous friends to witness the nuptials, including Gayle King, Oprah Winfrey, Ivanka Trump, Orlando Bloom, and Usher. Jeff and Lauren tied the knot in a lavish ceremony on Friday on the picturesque San Giorgio Maggiore island, exchanging vows in front of nearly 200 high-profile guests Leonardo DiCaprio, Sydney Sweeney, Tom Brady, Kim Kardashian, Khloe Kardashian, Kris Jenner, Kendall Jenner, and Kylie Jenner, amongst others, also attended. The romantic ceremony took place on San Giorgio Maggiore island, and guests were treated to trumpets, violins, and a gospel choir when they arrived. The festivities kicked off earlier in the week, and the multi-day affair is said to have cost $20million. The wedding has gone viral, not only for its VIP guest list but also for its opulent setting, with guests ferried across the Venetian lagoon via private boats, indulging in Michelin-starred cuisine and designer fashion.
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Heat waves are only going to get WORSE, warn scientists - and some cities could experience an extra MONTH of oppressive heat per year
European countries have been forced to issue wildfire and health warnings as a punishing heatwave grips the continent. Temperatures have exceeded 40°C (104°F) throughout much of southern Europe, melting roads in Italy and igniting raging wildfires in Greece. But scientists say that this year's extreme heat is only the start, with climate change set to make heatwaves more frequent, longer, and even more deadly. Professor Richard Allan, of the University of Reading, told MailOnline: 'Rising greenhouse gas levels due to human activities are making it more difficult for Earth to lose excess heat to space, and the warmer, thirstier atmosphere is more effective at drying soils, meaning heatwaves are intensifying.' That means conditions which would have once created 'moderate' events are now leading to heatwaves which scientists classify as 'extreme'. If greenhouse gas emissions are not reduced, studies suggest that Europe will be 3.1°C (5.6°F) warmer than before the Industrial Revolution. In that scenario, European cities might face month-long heatwaves with temperatures above 40°C (104°F) becoming commonplace. Some cities like Madrid and Seville could face an extra month of temperatures above 35°C (95°F) each year. PORTUGAL: A man sunbathes near the Tagus River in Lisbon as a heat bomb hits Europe on Sunday ENGLAND: A sunbather keeps his head in the shade with the help of a stack of deck chairs in Green Park, London on Monday How hot could Europe become? As climate change traps more heat in the Earth's atmosphere, heatwaves are becoming more common and more extreme. Temperatures of 46.6°C (115.9°F) are now 'plausible' in the UK, while days above 40°C (104°F) are 20 times likelier than in 1960. By 2100, Europe could be 3.1°C (5.6°F). That would mean cities across Southern and Eastern Europe experience an average increase of 10 days per year with temperatures above 35°C (95°F). Madrid, the worst-affected city, could face 77 days above 35°C (95°F) each year. Meanwhile, heatwaves lasting for an entire month could become common throughout Europe. If humanity does not reduce the amount of greenhouse gases being put into the environment each year, extreme events will only become more common and more severe, experts have warned. Heatwaves which were once one-in-50-year events now occur every five years as increasing levels of carbon dioxide trap more heat in Earth's system. Summertime temperatures in Western Europe have already risen by 2.6°C (4.7°F) on average in the past 50 years and will only continue to increase in the future if nothing is done, scientists say. At 3°C (5.4°F) of warming, cities across Southern and Eastern Europe could experience an average increase of 10 days per year with temperatures above 35°C (95°F), according to a study. The worst-affected cities, such as Madrid, could face up to 77 days a year above 35°C by 2100 if nothing is done to curb climate change. Dr Jamie Dyke, an Earth systems scientists from the University of Exeter, told MailOnline: 'If we do not quickly end the burning of fossil fuels then by the middle of this century the heatwave that is currently subjecting millions of people across Europe to crippling heat and humidity could be happening every other year.' Dr Dyke adds that conditions are now so dire that Europe faces 'the prospects of mass mortality events along with collapse of farming systems.' Likewise, research conducted by the Met Office found that heatwaves above 40°C (104°F) will soon become the norm in the UK. The study, published in the journal Weather, shows that there is now a 50/50 chance of the UK hitting 40°C again in the next 12 years - 20 times more likely than it was during the 1960s. Worryingly, the researchers warn that even hotter temperatures are possible, with a maximum of 46.6°C (115.9°F) now 'plausible' in today's climate. Professor John Marsham, an atmospheric scientist from the University of Leeds, told MailOnline: 'Climate change has already made UK summers warmer, and heatwaves more likely and more intense. 'Heatwaves will continue to get worse until we essentially phase out fossil fuels and reach net-zero.' Our buildings, transport and farming are simply not set up for the extremes we increasingly experience.' The inevitable consequence of these increasingly hot summers is that more people will die every year. Extreme temperatures place significant stress on our bodies, as our respiratory system fights to reduce the core body temperature. This places a strain on the heart, kidneys, and digestive organs, which can lead to serious complications over time. ENGLAND: Sunbathers flocked to the packed beach at the seaside resort of Lyme Regis on Monday These conditions increase the risk of heart and organ failure, especially among children, the elderly, and those with underlying health conditions. Dr Garyfallos Konstantinoudis, an expert on extreme weather-related mortality from Imperial College London, told MailOnline: 'The evidence is unequivocal: unless strong mitigation and adaptation measures are implemented, most European cities will face rising heat-related mortality.' A heatwave in 2022 killed 61,000 people in Europe, with over half of those of those deaths only occurring because of climate change's impact. That 2022 heatwave was 'strikingly comparable' to this year's extreme heat, but the ultimate health toll won't be clear until after the end of summer. However, the four days of heatwave between June 19 and 22 were estimated to have killed 570 people in England and Wales alone, according to a study by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and Imperial College London. Dr Konstantinoudis believes that the true number of deaths may well be higher. 'Heatwaves are silent killers. Unlike floods or storms, their impact can be invisible: people who die during extreme heat usually have pre-existing health conditions, and heat is rarely recorded as a contributing cause of death, says Dr Konstantinoudis. What is clear is that if temperatures in Europe continue to rise on current trends, the number of people killed will increase. SPAIN: Emergency medical staff in Spain readied to deal with an unexpected surge in heatstroke cases. Pictured: Medical dispatchers wait for calls to Madrid's SUMMA emergency medical services number at the main emergency call centre for the whole Madrid region, in Valdebebas, on the outskirts of Madrid, on June 26 SPAIN: Tourists cool off under a cloud of mist at the Plaza de la Reina during a heat wave in Valencia on Sunday DORSET: Brightly coloured parasols were a mainstay on beaches across the UK today as sunworshippers looked for some time in the shade on Monday TYNEMOUTH: People attempted to cool off in the North Sea at King Edwards Bay on Monday A recent report by the UK Climate Change Commission has estimated that heat-related deaths could rise to over 10,000 in an average year by 2050 if ongoing fossil fuel burning causes warming to reach 2°C above pre-industrial levels. Likewise, in a 3°C warming scenario, forecasts by the EU Joint Research Centre show heat-related mortality in Europe could triple with respect to today. Professor Hugh Montgomery, a professor of Intensive Care Medicine at University College London, says: 'These impacts will worsen as heatwaves do. 'As a doctor working with the critically ill, I know that delaying action when severe symptoms appear can be fatal. We must likewise take action on Climate Change now, not just treating those symptoms, but their cause.' Europe is currently experiencing an extreme heatwave amidst what is already anticipated to be one of the hottest Junes on record. Temperatures in Spain could rise to a hellish high of 47°C (116°F) while the UK faces 36°C (96.8°F) highs and a 'rise in deaths' this weekend. The current extreme weather in Europe is caused by a 'heat dome' which has created stable, cloud-free conditions which allow heat to build up. Although heat domes are natural events, it is an undeniable fact that human-caused climate change has made this spell of hot weather even warmer. Modelling shows that the four days of heatwave between June 19 and 22 killed an estimated 570 people in England and Wales alone Dr Michael Byrne, a climate scientist at the University of St Andrews, told MailOnline: 'Heat domes are nothing new – they have always occurred and will continue to do so. 'What is new is that when a heat dome strikes, temperatures get higher because Europe is more than 2°Cs warmer than in pre-industrial times. 'So climate change is not necessarily driving more heat domes, but when they happen, they lead to more intense heatwaves.' There has not yet been what scientists call an 'attribution study', a piece of research to work out how much of the excess heat is caused by human activity, for the coming weekend's weather. This will have to come in the days and weeks following the event once scientists have more data to work with. However, the evidence is already extremely clear that this extreme event has been made worse by climate change. Dr Friederike Otto, a leading climate scientist from Imperial College London and founder of World Weather Attribution, says: 'We absolutely do not need to do an attribution study to know that this heatwave is hotter than it would have been without our continued burning of oil, coal and gas. 'Countless studies have shown that climate change is an absolute game-changer when it comes to heat in Europe, making heatwaves much more frequent, especially the hottest ones, and more intense.' THE PARIS AGREEMENT: A GLOBAL ACCORD TO LIMIT TEMPERATURE RISES THROUGH CARBON EMISSION REDUCTION TARGETS The Paris Agreement, which was first signed in 2015, is an international agreement to control and limit climate change. It hopes to hold the increase in the global average temperature to below 2°C (3.6°F) 'and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C (2.7°F)'. It seems the more ambitious goal of restricting global warming to 1.5°C (2.7°F) may be more important than ever, according to previous research which claims 25 per cent of the world could see a significant increase in drier conditions. The Paris Agreement on Climate Change has four main goals with regards to reducing emissions: 1) A long-term goal of keeping the increase in global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels 2) To aim to limit the increase to 1.5°C, since this would significantly reduce risks and the impacts of climate change 3) Governments agreed on the need for global emissions to peak as soon as possible, recognising that this will take longer for developing countries
