Italy putting nearly all major cities on highest heat alert
Italy has placed nearly all of its major cities on its highest heat alert as a heatwave brings temperatures in the mid-30s Celsius and poses risks even to healthy people. The alert highlights wider extreme-weather pressures across southern Europe, where heatwave conditions are also helping to fuel major wildfires.
Nineteen Italian cities, including Rome, Milan, Venice and Naples, are already on red alert; by Monday, 25 of 27 major cities are expected to be at that level, with Reggio Calabria and Messina on amber alert. Officials advise avoiding direct sun between 11:00 and 18:00, staying indoors and drinking fluids, while fires continue in Greece, France, Portugal and Spain; Spain has seen more than 200,000 hectares burn in 2026, about five times the usual area for this point in the year.
In short
- Italy expects 25 of 27 major cities on red heat alert.
- Officials warn heat threatens healthy people as well as vulnerable groups.
- Heatwaves are worsening wildfire conditions across southern Europe.
Explained simply
Italy experiences hot summers, but prolonged periods of unusually high temperatures can put extra strain on people and public services. The country’s heat alert system rates the risk in cities, with red indicating conditions that can affect everyone, including healthy people, rather than only those most vulnerable to heat.
City authorities and health services use alerts to guide advice on reducing exposure, such as limiting time outdoors during the hottest part of the day and drinking water. Heatwaves across southern Europe can also dry out vegetation and increase pressure on firefighting services, while the effects of heat vary with local conditions and people’s health.