Southern Europe roasts as first heatwave of the summer scorches continent

As climate change causes the continent’s thermometers to turn even faster as the first heatwave of the summer in the Northern Hemisphere.

The Eternal City’s 2, 500 public fountains have been converged around the Italian capital’s 2, 500 public fountains for refreshment as temperatures are expected to rise 37 degrees Celsius (99 degrees Fahrenheit) on Saturday in the Italian capital, Rome.

Authorities in France mandated the creation of free public swimming pools to help residents of the southern port city of Marseille deal with the Mediterranean heat, with residents anticipating having to deal with temperatures ranging from 40C to 104F.

On Sunday, extreme heat and forest fires are expected in the capital city of Lisbon, Portugal, with temperatures of 42C (108F) expected.

Under the shade of the sun, Venice wedding attendees and protesters against Amazon tycoon Jeff Bezos were also sweating in the shade.

Sriane Mina, an Italian student, told the AFP news agency on Friday that she tried not to think about it, but that she never stayed still because that is when she developed sunstroke.

Meanwhile, Spain, which has previously experienced deadly summer blazes ravaging the Iberian peninsula, is starting to experience peak temperatures in excess of 40C (104F) on Sunday.

Scientists have long been conscientious that the global warming caused by humanity’s burning of fossil fuels is heating up the planet and having disastrous effects on the environment, with Europe experiencing blistering summer heatwaves that are becoming more frequent and hotter than ever.

Naples and Palermo, Italy’s cities, are expected to experience peaks of 39C (102F), so Sicily and the Liguria region in northern Italy have both ordered an order to ban outdoor work during the day’s hottest hours.

The trade unions are waging a campaign to include other regions of the nation in the expansion plan.

The first heatwave of the summer arrived in Greece on Thursday, when a quick-moving wildfire swept away vacation homes and forest land along a coastline just 40 kilometers (25 miles) south of Athens.

The wildfire that tore through Palaia Fokaia’s coastal area was fought by more than 100 firefighters and two dozen firefighting aircraft. As the temperature reached 40C (104F), the winds whipped up the flames.

According to the European Union’s Copernicus climate monitor, the heatwave follows a string of record-breaking extreme heat records, including Europe’s hottest March ever.