European destinations issue extreme heat alerts amid wildfires and flash floods

Temperatures over 40°C have been experienced across Europe in recent days and the heatwave is set to continue at least until 2 July 2025, sparking a range of official heat warnings across the continent. Staying hydrated and out of the sun are the takeaway messages for tourists and locals alike.

Adriatic destinations in Croatia and into the Balkans have seen temperatures up to 40°C which are expected to go on for some days. Holidaymakers are being told to take care and avoid the sun at the beach and to hydrate well. They should also be aware that warmer sea waters have been linked to the arrival of invasive poisonous lionfish.

In Belgium, temperatures in the high 30°Cs have led to the closure of Brussels’ Atomium, an architectural attraction whose distinctive stainless steel spheres become extremely hot in the current weather. An orange heat warning is in place and trains have been cancelled due to fears about infrastructure becoming unstable.

France is also under extreme heat alerts, with 88% of administrative areas at code orange. Wildfires have broken out and authorities across the country have issued warnings and advice to shelter indoors during peak temperatures. At least 1,350 schools have been closed, as has the top of the Eiffel Tower. More worryingly perhaps, a nuclear reactor had to be shut down to avoid discharging waste into already warm waters – a threat to river life.

Subject to official confirmation, Portugal 🇵🇹 looks like it may have provisionally set a new June record with 46.6 C today (Morva, Évora district).

Brutal #heatwave continued widely across Europe… pic.twitter.com/iMnUqmTvjj

— Simon King (@SimonOKing) June 29, 2025

Greece has suffered a four-day fire on the island of Chios and a wildfire near the Temple of Poseidon, south of Athens. Around 40 locals and five areas around Polaia Fokaia have been evacuated amid building damage and smoke-filled air. The response, in a country on high alert, saw 130 firefighters, 12 planes, and 12 helicopters tackling the blaze, as well as coastguards and a sea-borne firefighting vessel.

In Italy, along with temperatures, hospital visits due to dehydration and heatstroke are up in Lazio and Tuscany and over 20 cities across the country are under red alert for dangerous conditions, including the tourist destinations of Milan, Rome and Venice. There have been two recorded deaths, of a builder who collapsed at work, and a man who drowned in a flash flood.

The Netherlands is at code yellow, severe weather warning, with an official update from the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute highlighting “Extreme heat in the southeast on Tuesday and Wednesday, with temperatures up to 37°C.” The institute urges citizens to “BE PREPARED that high temperatures will lead to health risks amongst vulnerable people e.g. the elderly and very young.” People are advised to “Listen to and act upon advice from the authorities.”

The Portuguese Directorate-General for Health (DGS) has recommended avoiding outdoor activity between 11am and 5:00 pm, and deploying air conditioning or fans to keep the indoors cool, as outside temperatures persist at 40°C and above.

Seville in Spain saw the mercury hit 46°C and the national meteorological authority (AHMET) has urged people to stay out of direct sunlight at the height of the day and drink plenty of water, with warnings that the heat will last until at least Wednesday. Speaking at a development event in Seville on Monday, António Guterres, the UN secretary general, said: “Extreme heat is no longer a rare event – it has become the new normal.”

Illustrating his point, the heatwave and drought in Turkey’s western province of Izmir are making themselves felt through at least 263 wildfires, which have prompted the evacuation of around 50,000 people.