BRUSSELS: Forecasters offered little hope of relief on Friday for Europeans baking in a Sahara-style heatwave blamed for dozens of deaths and wind-whipped wildfires that have forced hundreds from their homes and campgrounds.

In Italy, where temperatures were climbing well into the 30s C yet again, hundreds of firefighters, backed by water bombers and helicopters, continued to battle a blaze that has been raging for days around Savona, on the northwestern Riviera.

The fire forced the closure early on Friday of an 8-kilometre-long stretch of highway in both directions, said Riccardo Sette of the Savona firefighters. It was reopened after four hours and major traffic snarls.

Hundreds of people have fled their homes or have been evacuated .

Two elderly women in southwestern Spain died on Thursday of heat stroke, increasing to 16 the number of fatalities blamed on the hot weather in that country, officials said. Around Europe, about 40 deaths have been blamed on the sizzling temperatures.

Spanish authorities said some 1,600 people were evacuated from a campground and several villas in the northeast when a forest fire spread through surrounding hills. Most blazes that have whipped through central Spain in recent days are now either out or under control.

Forest fires have also eased in Portugal, where an estimated 160,120 hectares have burned so far this year, mostly in the last three weeks, killing at least 14 people. Blazes fanned by hot winds near the French Riviera and in Corsica killed five people last week.

Intense monsoon activity in Africa south of the Sahara has been blamed in part for the merciless heat, funneling hot desert air over Europe and blocking cooler Atlantic lows.

Weather experts from Italy's state-funded CNR research centre called the heatwave one of the five worst in the last 150 years and said it would likely last until next month.

Electricity consumption in Spain rose 16.6 per cent in the first week of August as people cranked up air conditioners and fans, according to grid operator REE.

The southwest city of Badajoz registered its highest temperature in 50 years on Thursday: a merciless 44.8 C, and the National Weather Service says next week will be just as bad.

After a slight respite Wednesday, London was also looking at another hot, dry day with temperatures forecast above 30 C degrees. "On Saturday it could get even warmer," said Nikki Robertson at the Press Association Weather Centre.

An extra 3 million pints of beer could be downed across Britain if the sunshine lasts the weekend, a trade group said. "The more the sun shines, the bigger the smile on the faces of the nation's brewers and (pub) landlords," said Mark Hastings, spokesman for the British Beer and Pub Association. "While this boost to business is great news, we would also urge people to take it easy."

Agencies via Xinhua

(China Daily 08/09/2003 page1)