Red alerts are in place across vast swathes of Europe as wildfires engulf homes and countryside.
It comes as several countries across Europe and the Balkans face heatwaves, sparking fires which have seen thousands of people evacuated from their homes, hundreds injured and dozens killed.
Akshay Deoras, a research scientist at the meteorology department at the University of Reading, warned: ‘The heatwave currently affecting France, Spain, and the Balkan countries is not surprising. It is driven by a persistent heat dome over Europe.
‘Heatwaves don’t roar like storms – they creep in quietly, but can be just as deadly.’
Italy
A four-year-old boy died in Sardinia, Italy, earlier today after being found unconscious in his family’s car.
He died of irreversible brain damage caused by heatstroke despite being airlifted to hospital in Rome.
The boy, who was reportedly Romanian, is the latest casualty as scorching hot and dry weather sparks fires across several European countries.
Earlier today Italy’s health ministry issued a red alert warning for seven major cities, including Bologna and Florence, with 11 cities on alert tomorrow and 16 on Wednesday.
Close to 200 firefighters are currently tackling a wildfire on Mount Vesuvius, which has forced the closure of its national park to tourists.
France
Temperature records have been broken in France after a weather station in Bordeaux hit a scorching 41.6°C.
The French national weather service said records were also broken in Bergerac, Cognac and Saint Girons on Monday, MailOnline reports.
On Monday, 12 French departments were placed on red alert, the country’s highest heat warning, with four more expected to come into force on Tuesday.
France is currently experiencing its second heatwave of the summer, which is predicted to last until August 19 or 20.
There are still hundreds of firefighters at the scene of a huge blaze in Aude, where one person died and nine more were injured.
While the flames are now under control, officials say the blaze covering 16,000 hectares won’t be fully extinguished for weeks.
Albania
Nearly 40 fires flared across Albania over a 24-hour period today, and while hundreds of firefighters and soldiers have been battling the flames, more than a dozen were still active on Monday evening.
Fires are still burning on Albania’s southern coast, with several families and a care home forced to evacuate after high winds caused the flames to spread.
Around 800 troops, as well as military aircraft and helicopters from surrounding countries including Greece, have been drafted in to help fight the fires.
Since the start of July, nearly 84,000 acres have been scorched across Albania, according to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS).
It’s feared that several of the fires were started deliberately, and more than 20 people have been arrested in connection with the blazes so far.
Spain
Hundreds of people were forced to leave their homes after a wildfire spread across a UNESCO World Heritage site in north west Spain.
The flames damaged a Roman-era mining site in Las Medulas, with 25mph winds creating ‘many difficulties’ for firefighters, the regional environment minister said.
Four people, including two firefighters, suffered minor injuries.
It comes as Spain has been facing a heatwave of its own, seeing temperatures nearing 40°C during the last week.
The Castile and Leon areas have seen 13 fires in the last three days, though again it’s feared some were started deliberately.
And more than 2,000 people have been evacuated from the tourist town of Tarifa after a fire which had been subdued on Friday flared up again.
More than 100 firefighters are tackling the flames as locals and tourists alike were evacuated from hotels and beaches.
Portugal
Firefighters are tackling three large wildfires in the central and northern areas of Portugal.
Morocco has reportedly sent two aircraft to help fight the fires, after two Portuguese planes broke down.
More than 650 firefighters are tackling a blaze in Freches, a village in the Trancoso district. It’s thought 17 people, including six firefighters, have suffered injuries there.
Another 400 firefighters are tackling another blaze in Sobral de São Miguel, a village in the Covilhã municipality, which broke out on Sunday afternoon.
And around 90 more are fighting a fire at the village of Távora and Pereiro.
At least 12 districts are under an orange warning due to the heat, while the country’s mainland is on high alert due to the risk of wildfires in rural areas.
Montenegro
Temperatures here are also soaring as high as 40°C, and firefighters just outside the capital Podgorica fought to save dozens of homes after a fire broke out in inaccessible terrain, with several families evacuated.
Authorities in Montenegro have appealed for help from neighbouring countries as wildfires spread along its Adriatic coast.
Army personnel were sent in to try to protect ruins of the ancient city of Duklja.
Strong winds have continued to feed the flames, and authorities urged people to conserve their drinking water.
Croatia
Some 150 firefighters have been tackling fires overnight which threatened the city of Split.
The flames threatened several homes and a Croatian fire chief has warned the situation remains serious, with several homes evacuated as a precaution.
Pave Tomić, Dugi Rat fire chief, told local media: ‘The fire is not under control and the affected area is large. We have no confirmed reports yet of destroyed residential or commercial buildings, and as far as I know there are no injuries.
‘Our priority is to save houses and push the fire away from them, but we are far from bringing it under control.’
Turkey
Turkey is one of the worst-affected countries this summer, with 10 firefighters and rescue workers killed in the Eskisehir area on July 23.
It comes off the back of Turkey’s hottest July since records began 55 years ago.
Right now, more than 2,000 people have been evacuated from their homes in the north west province of Canakkale, with 77 people sent to hospital for treatment for smoke inhalation.
Of 55 forest fires which broke out on Monday, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumakli says 45 of them are under control.
There are more than 760 firefighters tackling the fires, seven of which have reduced in severity while fires in Çanakkale Merkez and Dardanos, Manisa Soma, and Edirne Enez, continue to rage.
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