Wildfire near Lake Garda forces 200 to flee as heatwave grips Lombardy

At least 200 people have been evacuated after a wildfire broke out near Italy's Lake Garda, Al Jazeera reported on Saturday. The blaze, which comes as a European heatwave has set temperature records and fueled fires across the continent, is burning in one of Italy's most popular tourist destinations, a region that draws millions of visitors each summer.

The evacuation underscores the strain that extreme heat is placing on Lombardy's tourism economy, which relies heavily on the lake district's hotels, ferries and lakeside villages. While the fire's exact location and containment status were not detailed in the wire, the displacement of 200 people suggests a significant emergency response in a densely visited area.

The heatwave has already triggered red alerts across Italian cities, including Milan, and has disrupted energy and transportation systems across Europe, according to CBS News. For Lombardy, the Garda fire adds a new layer of risk to a summer already marked by extreme weather.