Greenpeace says extreme heat is result of climate crisis.

Greenpeace activists with thermal cameras recorded surface temperatures above 50 degrees in 'heat islands' in Rome on Thursday amid the city's first heatwave of the summer.

The infrared devices detected the extreme temperatures around the Colosseum, St Peter's and Termini train station, where additional heat is generated by large crowds of tourists.

Greenpeace said the boiling temperatures are a "consequence of the climate crisis", driven by fossil fuel companies, and mean that "thousands of tourists, commuters and residents are subjected to extremely dangerous conditions for their health."

Prosegue allerta ondate di calore: domani, venerdì 21 giugno livello 3 (bollino rosso)

Le ondate di calore hanno effetti sulla salute ed è importante proteggersi. Info utili https://t.co/DZcVnD1LLl

Attiva h24 sala operativa Protezione Civile: 800854854. pic.twitter.com/6X5PFSJLBA

— Roma (@Roma) June 20, 2024

The report by Greenpeace comes as Italy's health ministry raises its heat warning for Rome to a maximum red alert on Friday 21 June.

The bollino rosso alert - also in place on Friday for Ancona, Campobasso, Frosinone, Latina, Palermo, Perugia and Rieti - indicates emergency conditions with possible negative effects on not just the elderly, sick or very young, but also on healthy and active people.

Greenpeace's report coincided with a large fire in the southwest Magliana district of Rome, where rubbish burned near an illegal Roma camp, leaving the air heavy with the smell of burnt plastic.