Europe Grapples with Intense Heatwave and Wildfire Threat; Italy on Red Alert, France Faces High Fire Risk

An ongoing, intense heatwave is affecting much of Europe, with Italy placing all major cities under the highest heat alert. Austria and Slovakia have recorded new all-time high temperatures. In France, three southeastern departments (Bouches-du-Rhone, Var, and Vaucluse) are under red alert for a "very high" risk of forest fires, while other departments face orange heatwave warnings. The extreme heat is causing disruptions to energy and transport systems across the continent.