All 27 Major Cities on Red Alert as Fourth Heatwave Grips Italy

Italy is to place all of its 27 major cities, from Trieste in the north to Palermo in the south, under the highest heat alert as the fourth heatwave to hit the country this summer intensifies, according to the Guardian. The red alert comes as temperatures in some areas edge close to 40C, the newspaper reported on Wednesday.

The alert covers every major urban centre on the mainland and the islands, a measure that reflects the breadth and persistence of the current hot spell. Health authorities typically advise the elderly, young children and those with chronic conditions to stay indoors during the hottest hours when a red alert is in force.

For Sardinia, the heat is not merely a matter of comfort. The island's interior, already parched after a dry spring, faces heightened wildfire risk and pressure on water supplies, a strain that the foreign press has linked to broader Mediterranean climate stress.

The Guardian's report, published on 5 August, noted that the red alert would apply from Trieste in the north to Palermo in the south, covering all 27 of the country's major cities. The fourth heatwave of the summer has been intensifying, pushing temperatures in some areas close to 40C, the paper said. The measure is the broadest yet this season, signalling that the heat is not confined to the traditional hot spots of the south but is affecting the entire peninsula.

The BBC, in a separate guide published this week, reported on how residents and visitors can cope with the heat, recommending night-time tours, air-conditioned supermarkets and other strategies to avoid the worst of the conditions. The advice reflects a summer in which repeated heatwaves have reshaped daily routines across Italy, from working hours to tourism patterns.

For Sardinia, the red alert has particular resonance. The island's interior, home to the Ogliastra region and its famed 'Blue Zone' of longevity, is among the most vulnerable to heat and drought in the Mediterranean. The Guardian's coverage of the heatwave has previously noted the strain on the island's fragile environment, and the current alert will heighten concerns for the pastoral economy that depends on summer grazing and water availability.

The heat is also a test for the island's tourism sector, which draws visitors to the Costa Smeralda and the beaches of the south. With temperatures edging toward 40C, the advice to avoid the midday sun is likely to push more activity into the evening hours, a shift that the BBC's guidance explicitly recommends. Whether the island's infrastructure can absorb that shift, from transport to hospitality, remains an open question as the summer peak continues.