Italy will place all 27 of its major cities under its highest heat alert on Thursday as the country's fourth heatwave of the summer continues to intensify. The move marks the first time this year that every city monitored by Italy's Health Ministry heat surveillance system has been placed under its maximum red warning.
Officials said 25 cities were already on maximum alert on Wednesday, with two more due to join the list on Thursday. A red alert is issued when prolonged periods of extreme heat are expected to pose a health risk to the entire population, increasing the likelihood of heat-related emergencies rather than affecting only vulnerable groups.
Temperatures and health advice
Temperatures in parts of the country have climbed towards 40C in recent days, prompting authorities to issue a series of public health recommendations aimed at reducing the risks associated with the extreme conditions. People have been advised to avoid direct sunlight between 11am and 6pm, remain indoors where possible and drink at least 1.5 litres of water each day.
Officials have also urged people to avoid fizzy drinks, coffee, alcohol and heavy meals, wear lightweight clothing and never leave children or animals inside parked vehicles. Forecasters do not expect the intense heat to ease for at least another week.
Deaths and drought impacts
The latest heatwave has been linked to four deaths in recent days, including a 19-year-old tomato picker and a 40-year-old carpenter working in Lombardy, while a security guard in Bologna is also believed to have died from a heat-related illness.
The prolonged hot weather has also intensified drought conditions in the Po Valley, with more than 100 towns in Piedmont and Lombardy facing water shortages and some relying on tanker trucks. Farmers say crop yields are being affected, grape ripening has accelerated and milk production has fallen by around 10% as dairy cows eat less in the heat.
Relief measures and climate context
In Rome, authorities are offering free access to air-conditioned cinemas and cultural venues, while evening opening hours have been extended at the Colosseum and Pantheon. Forecasters also warn there is little sign of relief before next week.
Lorenzo Giovannini, an atmospheric physicist at the University of Trento, told Ansa the heatwaves were above average in both intensity and duration and said the climate crisis was making them "longer and more intense". Scientists have linked the increasing frequency and severity of heatwaves to human-driven climate change. According to the Copernicus Climate Change Service and the World Meteorological Organization, Europe has warmed at more than twice the global average since the 1980s.
Cities under red warning
The cities due to be under the highest red warning are: Ancona, Bari, Bologna, Bolzano, Brescia, Cagliari, Campobasso, Catania, Civitavecchia, Florence, Frosinone, Genoa, Latina, Messina, Milan, Naples, Palermo, Perugia, Pescara, Reggio Calabria, Rieti, Rome, Trieste, Turin, Venice, Verona, and Viterbo.
