Italy's red heat alert reaches the Alps

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, the Guardian reported. The red alert comes as temperatures in some areas edge close to 40C, according to the Guardian's coverage of the Italian health ministry's heat warning system.

For Trentino-Alto Adige, the alert carries a particular weight. While the region's mountain valleys typically offer cooler respite from the summer heat, the same high-pressure system that is driving temperatures toward 40C elsewhere in Italy also presses down on the Alps, raising the risk of heat stress for the elderly and for the many tourists who flock to the Dolomites this time of year.

The Guardian reported that the red alert, the highest level of the Italian health ministry's heat warning system, applies to all 27 major cities, from Trieste in the north to Palermo in the south. The warning is issued when heat is so intense that it poses a health risk to the entire population, not just vulnerable groups, and is accompanied by advice to avoid outdoor activity during the hottest hours of the day.

The heatwave is the fourth to hit Italy this summer, and comes after a season that has already seen drought conditions across much of the country. In the Alps, the heat accelerates glacier melt and stresses the high-mountain ecosystems that the region's tourism economy depends on. The BBC, in a separate guide on how to avoid the worst of the Italian heat, quoted experts recommending night-time tours and air-conditioned museums as alternatives to midday sightseeing — advice that applies equally in the mountain towns of Trentino-Alto Adige, where afternoon temperatures in the valleys have been climbing well above the seasonal average.

The regional government of Trentino-Alto Adige, which has special autonomy over health and tourism policy, has not yet announced specific measures for the heat alert, but the health authorities in the region typically activate cooling centres in the main towns of Trento and Bolzano when red alerts are issued. The Guardian noted that the alert is expected to remain in place for several days, with the heatwave showing no immediate sign of easing.

For the region's tourism sector, which draws millions of visitors each summer to the Dolomites, the heat poses a double challenge: keeping visitors safe during the hottest hours and managing the strain on fragile mountain environments. The BBC's guide noted that experts recommend visiting popular sites early in the morning or late in the evening to avoid the worst of the heat, a pattern that is already visible in the alpine towns where tourist footfall peaks at dawn and dusk.