Photos: Planet faces hottest July in history

Europe is battling the effects of scorching weather, with June having been the hottest month on record in the 174-year history of temperature monitoring. Last year, heat waves resulted in over 61,600 heat-related fatalities across 35 European countries and triggered devastating wildfires. This year, temperatures could exceed Europe's current record of 48.8 Celsius (119.84 Fahrenheit), recorded in Sicily in August 2021. Here’s a list of the most recent blazes and heat-related warnings issued in Europe: Above: Tourists use water to keep cool at the Trevi Fountain during a heat wave in Rome.

CROATIA: A bushfire near the coastal town of Sibenik quickly spread on July 13. The fire was difficult to control, despite the efforts of 56 firefighters, along with 20 vehicles and three aircraft. The village of Grebastica suffered significant damage, including the destruction of cars and homes.

FRANCE: About six small-scale blazes have been recorded in the regions of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Occitanie, Grand Est, Bouches-Du-Rhone and Corsica island. Mid-April, the French geological service BRGM said that very low groundwater levels had put France on course for a worse summer drought than last year. Above: An aerial view shows smoke rising from a fire in the Cerbere region.

GREECE: Fires burning since Wednesday on the island of Rhodes forced the evacuation of some 20,000 people over the weekend as an inferno reached coastal resorts on the island's southeast. More than 2,000 holidaymakers returned home by plane on Monday, and more repatriation flights were expected on Tuesday. Tour operators also cancelled upcoming trips. Above: A firefighter uses a bottle to drop water over a burnt plant as the flames approaching in Vati village, on the Aegean Sea island of Rhodes, southeastern Greece.

ITALY: Fires were burning in woods and vegetation in various parts of Calabria, the southernmost part of the Italian mainland, while Palermo's airport reopened on Tuesday after wildfires in Sicily forced its closure for a few hours. On Tuesday, Italy put 16 cities on red alert because of the high temperatures. Above: A burnt house is seen following a wildfire in the Sicilian village of Romitello, near Palermo, Italy.

MALTA: Malta has been suffering from a week-long heat wave that has caused widespread power. Above: Golden Bay, Mellieha, Malta -: A crowded sandy beach.

PORTUGAL: Portugal has requested help in the management of wildfires from the European Union civil protection mechanism, Finland's Interior ministry said on Tuesday, adding the country would send 48 rescue workers to help Portugal. Mainland Portugal is facing widespread drought, with some 90% of the country affected.

SPAIN: A wildfire started on July 15 on the island of La Palma, leading to the evacuation of more than 4,000 people. The fire has been contained, Spanish newspaper El Pais reported on July 19, after burning 2,900 hectares of the island, including 200 hectares of the Caldera de Taburiente National Park.

SWITZERLAND: Swiss police issued evacuation orders on July 17 for several mountain villages due to the spread of a fire on the forested flank of a mountain in Bitsch in the Valais canton near the Italian border. More than 200 people were forced to evacuate. Above: Smoke and flames are seen from a burning forest above the communes of Bitsch and Ried-Moerel, in Bitsch, Switzerland.

TURKEY: Wildfires started in Turkey's southeastern Hatay and Mersin provinces and Canakkale province in the northwest on July 16, the Turkish General Directorate of Forestry said on its Twitter account. Above: A girl jumps into the sea at Menekse beach in Istanbul.