Turkey and Greece are among the countries impacted by record-breaking temperatures and widespread wildfires. | ITV National News

The cruel heat is back as southern Europe slips deeper into summer. In homes and offices, air conditioning is sweet relief.

Health and fire warnings have been issued in countries across southern Europe, with temperatures expected to exceed 40C in some places over the weekend. Italy, Greece, France, Spain and Portugal are among the countries affected - with the Spanish city of Seville forecast to hit 42C on Sunday.

The cruel heat is back as Southern Europe slips deep into summer. Under the scorching sun, manual labor can be grueling, brutal, even occasionally deadly. Now some of Europe's powerful labor unions are pushing for tougher regulations to protect the aging workforce from climate change on the world's fastest-warming continent.

Southern Europe soars to record temperatures as heat wave peaks. Rome reached an all-time high Tuesday. Sicily made it to at least 115, a few degrees shy of the European record.

Cruel heat is baking southern Europe as the continent slips deeper into summer. In homes and offices, air conditioning is sweet relief

After extreme heat hits many parts of southern Europe in another heatwave, conditions should improve for holidaymakers.

Fierce summer temperatures can make much of Southern Europe difficult for active, nature-loving breaks in summer. But that still leaves a dazzling array of national parks to explore in the Alps and the north.