Europe: BiH issues nationwide heat alert as fires persist
Sarajevo, June 27 (IANS) Bosnia and Herzegovina(BiH) on Saturday issued an orange heat warning across the country as temperatures are expected to reach up to 40 degrees Celsius over the next several days, while firefighters continue battling multiple fires fueled by hot and dry weather.
The Federal Hydrometeorological Institute of BiH (FHMZ) said the orange alert will remain in effect from June 27 to June 30, warning that the most dangerous period each day will be between 11:00 a.m. and 5:00 pm The highest temperatures are forecast to reach between 33 and 40 degrees Celsius, Xinhua news agency reported.
The institute urged residents, particularly the elderly, young children and people with chronic illnesses, to avoid prolonged outdoor activities, stay hydrated and follow advice from health and emergency authorities.
Meanwhile, firefighters in the southern city of Mostar continued efforts to extinguish a fire that had burned for several days at a major landfill. Authorities said a new fire broke out at the site on Saturday, and firefighting operations were still underway.
In the southern city of Trebinje, a wildfire outside the city flared up again and was moving toward nearby houses, according to local fire officials.
They warned that changing winds could rapidly worsen the situation. The fire, which has been burning in inaccessible terrain since Wednesday, is believed to have been sparked by a lightning strike.
Europe is witnessing a record heatwave, putting several countries under pressure as the World Health Organisation has called the situation a “health emergency”.
In Italy, the red alerts will rise to 16 on Wednesday, reports Adnkronos.
Tuesday was officially the hottest day ever recorded in France since measurements began in 1947. At 3 p.m., the national thermal index was 29.6 degrees Celsius, while the previous record, of 29.4 degrees Celsius, had been recorded on July 25, 2019, but also during the historic heatwave of 2003, on August 5. And according to Meteo-France, the temperature situation is set to worsen in the coming hours.
–IANS
ksk/dan