Greece’s fire services are on high alert after more than 40 wildfires broke out in the country on Wednesday. In recent days, the country has experienced sharply rising temperatures and weather warnings have been issued as a heatwave sweeps across southern Europe.

According to local news site ekathimerini.com, the country’s Minister of Civil Protection has “declared a general state of alert” due to the wildfires and persistent weather conditions, adding that “all fire services are on high alert.”

A forest fire is reported to be raging in a forested area near Sofiko, Corinth, in the Peloponnese, spreading towards Epidaurus. The news site added: “The fire, which is burning through dense pine forest, poses a significant challenge. Authorities have issued an emergency alert and are urging residents of Sofiko to remain vigilant.”

READ MORE: Britons warned of ’44C heatwave’ in Spain ahead of school holidays

Three firefighters suffered minor burns and were hospitalized in Corinth. In Athens, the Acropolis was closed to visitors due to high temperatures. The Red Cross also distributed water bottles and information brochures to visitors queuing to enter the site.

Meanwhile, two firefighters died fighting fires in the Basilicata region of southern Italy, Italian authorities said. Italy has added Palermo in Sicily to the list of 13 cities in the country for which a severe heat warning has been issued. Elderly people in the city of Verona have been asked to stay in their homes while sprinklers have been set up to cool down passers-by.

Meteorologists said hot air from Africa was expected to continue until Sunday, with heatwave temperatures expected to peak at 43 degrees Celsius (109 degrees Fahrenheit). In Albania, the heat prompted the government to reorganize working hours for civil servants, allowing some to work more easily from home.

Neighbouring North Macedonia was battling dozens of forest fires that had broken out in the past 24 hours, with one major blaze spreading across nearly 30km. Firefighting planes from Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia, Romania and Turkey responded to the country’s call for help.

In western Turkey, firefighters – supported by more than a dozen firefighting aircraft – managed to bring a forest fire near the city of Bergama under control several hours after it broke out. The cause of the fire, which was fanned by strong winds, was initially unclear.

The municipality of Istanbul, Turkey’s largest city, issued a heat warning on Tuesday, saying temperatures would rise 3–6 °C (37–43 °F) above seasonal averages through July 28. Several Spanish cities, including Granada and Toledo, are bracing for temperatures of up to 44 °C (111 °F) forecast for later in the week in the country’s hottest areas in the south.

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