A new record maximum temperature for June was also recorded in Mora in Portugal on Sunday, at 46.6 degrees Celsius, according to data from the national meteorological agency.
Seven regions in central and southern Portugal, including the capital Lisbon, were placed on red alert for the second day running on Monday, with fire warnings in many forest areas.
In Italy, images posted by local media showed people running into the sea at a beach resort in Baia Domizia near Naples, as flames tore through pinewoods behind them.
“I have never experienced anything like this, we were surrounded by flames at least 30m high, smoke everywhere,” the mayor of nearby Cellole, Guido di Leone, wrote on Facebook.
PEAK
In France, the heatwave is due to peak on Tuesday and Wednesday.
No such luck for Italy, where the sizzling temperatures will continue to the end of the week and beyond, according to Antonio Spano, founder of the ilmeteo.it meterological website.
Authorities have issued red alerts for 18 cities across the country over the next few days, including Milan, Verona, Rome, Perugia and Palermo.
