Italy Issues Heat Red Alerts as Sun Roasts Major Cities

Sun Sep 06 2026 04:24:36 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Italy declares a red heat alert for nearly all major cities, warning residents against midday sun, as a scorching wave sweeps the country amid ongoing European wildfires.

The Italian health ministry has placed 19 cities—Rome, Milan, Venice, Naples and others—on the highest red heat alert, urging people to stay indoors and hydrate during peak temperatures. By Monday, only two southern cities will remain on amber status while the rest will face the same warning. The heatwave follows a powerful subtropical anticyclone and coincides with widespread European wildfires that strain firefighting resources and heighten public health risks. Italy’s call‑to‑action stresses that the heat endangers even healthy individuals, not just vulnerable groups. Climate change continues to amplify summer heat spells and fuel blazes across the continent.

Italy Issues Heat Red Alerts as Sun Roasts Major Cities

Italy’s health ministry has announced that nearly all of its major cities—Rome, Milan, Venice, Naples and 14 more—are now under a red alert for extreme heat. This comes after a temperature surge that pushed many spots into the 35‑degree‑C range on Saturday.

The bulletin warned that the red alert will spread to almost all 27 major cities by Monday, with only Reggio Calabria and Messina expected to stay on the lower amber level.

Officials advise residents to avoid direct sun exposure between 11:00 and 18:00, remain indoors whenever possible, and keep drinking fluids. Heat risks are described as threatening to not just susceptible groups—elderly, children, chronic‑illness patients—but also otherwise healthy people.

The heatwave is driven by a strengthening subtropical anticyclone originating North Africa that now dominates the Mediterranean. It has also created dry conditions that have worsened Europe’s blazes.

Across Europe, Greece, France, Portugal and Spain continue to battle wildfires that cover thousands of hectares. In France, 2,500 residents were evacuated from the Var region after a flaring blaze. In Spain, the southwest’s Gironde fires have been largely contained and evacuees are returning home.

The broader climate picture points to a European continent warming twice as fast as the global average, leading to more intense heatwaves, strained water supplies and frequent forest fires.

Source: Public health alerts and wildfire reports across Southern Europe, 1 August 2026