Wildfires and heatwave strain Sicily and Rome

Italian firefighters battled dozens of wildfires in Sicily on Wednesday as temperatures rose above 40C and hot winds helped spread the flames. One fire forced the evacuation of a clinic.

Sicily's regional president, Renato Schifani, said nearly 50 fires, out of 344 reported on Wednesday, were still beyond firefighters' control. Authorities said about 6,000 forest workers, firefighters and civil protection agents were working against the fires.

Officials said one blaze in the centre of Sicily, burning for several days, forced the evacuation of about 100 residents around Castronovo and Santo Stefano Quisquina, as well as 22 patients from a clinic. Firefighters reported 1,000 wildfires across Sicily since Saturday, with no casualties reported.

A civil protection spokesman described the situation as serious and said high temperatures and a lack of rain had helped the fires spread. The fire near Castronovo and Santo Stefano Quisquina temporarily cut drinking water supplies to about 20 municipalities, according to the distribution company.

Rome was also dealing with an intense summer heatwave. City officials said 11 cinemas and 11 libraries would be used as climate refuges until August 4. The scheme offers free places for 10 Italian films, each shown twice a day, while libraries will offer visitors water.

Massimiliano Smeriglio, Rome's councillor for culture, said climate change was affecting people's lives, health, social interactions and ability to do things during hot periods. He said the project was intended to create places where people could also overcome isolation caused by not being able to stay outdoors.

The source said scientists agree that climate change caused by human burning of fossil fuels is making extreme weather events such as fires and heatwaves more likely and more severe. It also cited an ISTAT report published last month saying Rome's average temperatures have risen by three degrees Celsius since the 1980s, compared with about two degrees Celsius in other European capitals.