Italy halts outdoor work as Europe gripped by record temperatures

More than half of Italy’s regions, including Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna, have banned outdoor work during the hottest hours of the day as Europe grapples with one of the most intense heatwaves in its recent history. 

Between 12.30pm and 4pm, it’s tools down for those who have to work outdoors, as the heatwave, which has shattered June temperature records in many European states, relentlessly claims lives. The extreme weather has led to wildfires, flash floods, and a surge in hospital admissions and calls for urgent safety measures across the continent.

In Spain, the state meteorological agency Aemet reported June 2025 as the hottest on record, with an average temperature of 23.6°C, surpassing 2017’s record. Portugal also set a new June record with 46.6°C in Mora, Évora district, according to the Portuguese Institute for the Sea and Atmosphere.

Record temperatures in Europe causing loss of life

The heatwave has turned deadly. In Catalonia’s Tarragona province, a young boy died of heatstroke in a car on Tuesday, July 1. In Palermo, Sicily, a 53-year-old woman with a heart condition died after fainting, and near Bologna, 47-year-old construction worker Brahim Ait El Hajjam collapsed and died on a building site. A 70-year-old man drowned near Turin amid storms and flash floods, a consequence of the extreme heat. Italian hospitals reported a 15 to 20 per cent increase in emergency admissions, mostly elderly patients with heat stroke.

Italy’s outdoor work bans, now in place from Liguria to Sicily, follow union demands for better safety after incidents such as two workers falling ill near Vicenza, one left in a coma.

Schools shut due to record temperatures

The heatwave has also affected tourism and education. Paris, nearing 38°C, closed the Eiffel Tower’s top and placed the city on maximum heatwave alert. Over 1,896 French schools shut fully or partially on Tuesday, with parents in Paris, Troyes, and Melun advised to keep children home due to poorly insulated classrooms. French Prime Minister François Bayrou, who is facing a no-confidence vote, cancelled meetings to address the crisis, promising talks with mayors to adapt schools. Teachers in Paris resorted to spraying water on students to keep them cool. In Paris, public parks have been kept open during the night to give people some respite from the overheated concrete jungle.

In Brussels, the Atomium closed early as temperatures neared 37°C. Cities like Zaragoza (39°C), Rome (37°C), Madrid (37°C), Athens (37°C), Frankfurt (36°C), Tirana (35°C), and London (33°C) also sweltered. Germany’s heat front “Bettina” is set to push temperatures toward 40°C by Wednesday, sparing only coasts and the Alps.

Record temperatures leading to wildfires and extreme storms across Europe

Wildfires have forced tens of thousands to evacuate in Turkey, with 263 fires reported recently. Firefighters are also battling blazes in Sardinia, Sicily, and parts of France. Storms have disrupted train travel between France and Italy and isolated Cogne, Italy, due to a landslide.

French industry groups have warned that schools, hospitals, and elderly care homes are ill-equipped for such heat, calling for action as extreme weather becomes more frequent.