BERLIN, July 23 (Xinhua) -- A new round of extreme heat is tightening its grip on Europe from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia, setting local temperature records and fueling wildfires, violent storms and growing safety risks. Weeks of scorching temperatures and scarce rainfall have also pushed major rivers to historic lows, disrupting shipping, industry and agriculture, while forecasters warn another heat surge could arrive around the turn of the month.
HEAT PUSHES NORTH AS ANOTHER SURGE BUILDS
The latest heatwave has extended unusually far north. Norway has experienced an intense spell of hot weather since mid-July, with ten weather stations setting local temperature records last week. By Friday, 40 weather stations had met the country's official heatwave criterion, while temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius were recorded for the first time at a location more than 800 meters above sea level.
Southern Europe, meanwhile, remains at the center of the most intense heat. Parts of Greece exceeded 43 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, while thermal imaging in Athens showed surface temperatures approaching 60 degrees Celsius in parts of the city and reaching 75 degrees at the Panathenaic Stadium. Cyprus forecast highs of 44 degrees Celsius on Thursday.
Spain entered its third heatwave of the summer, with temperatures topping 42 degrees Celsius in some areas. Meteorologists say the high-pressure system could spread northward, bringing temperatures of 35 degrees Celsius or higher to western Germany and raising the likelihood of "tropical nights." Weather models also point to another spell of extreme heat in late July and early August, with temperatures potentially approaching 40 degrees Celsius across parts of central Europe.
WILDFIRES, STORMS AND ALPINE RISKS GROW
The prolonged heat is amplifying weather-related hazards across Europe. In Spain, the La Mierla wildfire in Guadalajara has burned more than 35,000 hectares, making it the country's second-largest wildfire this century. Other fires in Toledo, Madrid, Leon and Huelva have forced the evacuation of hundreds of residents. According to the EU's Copernicus fire monitoring system, more than 123,000 hectares have burned in Spain this year, roughly four times the area recorded during the same period in 2025.
Portugal, where the highest proportion of national territory has been burned in Europe this year, remains on high alert, with authorities maintaining elevated preparedness and warning that parts of the country face "Very High" or "Maximum" wildfire risk. Greece also reported 51 agricultural and forest fires within 24 hours, although most were contained quickly.
The heat is also reshaping conditions in the Alps. Switzerland's Alpine Club warned that melting snow and thawing permafrost have made mountaineering significantly more dangerous by exposing crevasses, destabilizing slopes and increasing the risk of rockfalls.
Elsewhere, Bosnia and Herzegovina was struck by severe storms after days of extreme heat. Meteorologists said the collision of hot and cold air masses generated supercell storms, bringing destructive winds, large hail and torrential rainfall that damaged crops and infrastructure.
LOW RIVERS DISRUPT SHIPPING AND INDUSTRY
Weeks of extreme heat and limited rainfall have also strained Europe's waterways. Croatia's Danube and Drava rivers have fallen to record-low levels, exposing long-submerged shipwrecks and wartime relics.
Farther upstream, shallow water is disrupting cargo transport on Germany's Rhine, one of Europe's busiest commercial waterways. At the key Kaub gauge, low water levels have forced many vessels to operate at only about one-third of their normal capacity, pushing up freight costs that could ultimately be passed on to consumers.
The Netherlands is facing similar pressures. After raising its water crisis status to "actual water shortage," the government warned that reduced river flows are affecting inland shipping, industrial production and agriculture. Low water levels have also worsened water quality, accelerated salinization and contributed to localized fish deaths and algal blooms. ■