Fire risks, water shortages as heatwave hits central Europe

Vienna, Jul 31, 2026 -Central Europe was sweltering under the latest heatwave in an already record-breaking summer on Friday, with several countries taking steps to reduce the risk of fires and ease pressure on water and energy networks.

In Hungary, Prime Minister Peter Magyar has called on businesses to voluntarily reduce their electricity consumption, outdoor fires have been banned and decorative lighting will be switched off on state buildings to save energy.

Kata Serfozo, 36, a designer on maternity leave in Budapest, said she was spending "a lot of time outdoors in the shade" because it feels "much better than staying at home (with) the curtains drawn, the blinds down, and the shades closed".


In Slovakia, local authorities in the capital Bratislava have set up more than 30 cooling stations offering air-conditioned spaces and drinking water.

Darina Justusova, 33, pregnant and on maternity leave, said the heat was making her "much more tired" and forcing her to "take more breaks" during the day.

"If we didn't have air conditioning at home, I would definitely use a centre like this. I have a daughter -- we don't go outside until it cools down a bit, because the current temperatures are unbearable," she said.

Slovenia's meteorology agency ARSO has placed the western part of the country under an "extremely high" fire risk and banned several activities that could potentially spark fires.

"This heat wave will be extraordinary due to its length, not only the high temperatures," climatologist Gregor Vrtacnik said in a press conference hosted by ARSO.

The sea temperature on the Adriatic coast could beat the all-time record of 30.4C recorded in 2010, according to marine experts.

Austria has also recorded temperatures of up to 40C at a time when the country is already experiencing an "extreme" drought, according to the Geosphere Austria national weather agency.

"Since the beginning of the year, precipitation has been around 30 percent below normal levels," the agency said in a statement on Wednesday.