Italy puts 27 cities under highest heat alert as extreme temperatures boost death toll

A new surge of extreme heat is pushing temperatures above 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius) in parts of Italy, prompting authorities to issue their highest-level heat warning for dozens of cities.

Officials also suspect several recent deaths are tied to the dangerous conditions.

What's happening?

A News reported that 25 Italian cities were under a red alert on Aug. 5, with the total expected to reach 27 on Aug. 6 as forecast record heat threatened public health.

ANSA also reported three additional deaths believed to be tied to the heat wave. A 90-year-old woman who died in a garden, a security guard, 55, who suffered a medical emergency in a car, and a carpenter, 40, who fell ill while on a roof.

Temperatures in some areas were forecast to climb above 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius). Even the weekend's slight cooldown would still leave highs between 97°F and 102°F (36C and 39C), keeping conditions dangerous for older adults, outdoor workers, and anyone without reliable access to cooling.

The heat has also arrived alongside rising wildfire risk. ANSA said fires were burning in Marsica in Abruzzo, while firefighters were continuing efforts to contain another blaze near Trieste in the Karst area, a fire risk that has grown across the region as summer days favorable to wildfire have more than doubled across Southern Europe since 1981, according to a recent study.

Why does it matter?

Extreme heat can trigger heat stroke and worsen heart and breathing problems, turning everyday activities like working, driving, or spending time outdoors into life-threatening. The suspected deaths in Italy show how quickly those risks can escalate.

Dry, hot conditions can also turn a local blaze into a broader safety threat for homes, infrastructure, and air quality, a pattern The Cool Down has tracked elsewhere in Europe this summer as red alerts and heat-linked deaths have spread across the continent.

What's being done?

Italy's red heat alerts give authorities one of their fastest tools for warning the public that conditions have turned dangerous. The alerts help cities prepare emergency responses, encourage people to limit their exposure, and signal to employers and residents that the risk is real.

Firefighters are also working to contain the active blazes near Trieste and in Abruzzo before hot, dry weather lets them spread further.

Italy's red-alert map is set to expand again on August 6, and officials have not ruled out further heat-related deaths as the country's temperatures stay near record highs.

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