European heatwave - latest updates as red alerts and record temperatures continue

Firefighters battled a blaze in Rhodes as a new heatwave loomed over Greece, threatening to stoke tinderbox conditions across the country. Greek meteorological service had warned of a heightened risk of fires from Thursday, as the country recovered from the first major heatwave of the summer. A second heatwave was forecast to start on Thursday, with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in some areas, and rising further on Friday to a maximum of 44C. Thousands have also been evacuated in the Canary Islands and Switzerland in recent days, as southern Europe is gripped by ongoing wildfires and extreme heat caused by the fossil-fuel-driven climate crisis. Fires are common in Greece, but hotter, drier and windy summers have turned the Mediterranean into a wildfire hotspot in recent years. Temperature records were shattered in Rome and Catalonia on Wednesday as most of Italy’s big cities were placed under a red alert. Read More Why is there no UK heatwave as Europe swelters during Charon? Expert warns of heart attack risk as heatwaves intensify due to climate change Families unable to cancel summer holidays despite extreme heat warnings and wildfires