Hungary endures record‑breaking heatwave as temperatures approach 40 °C

heatwave Hungary 40 °C wildfires energy saving

Hungarian meteorological service HungaroMet warned that a severe heatwave will persist at least until early August, with daytime highs reaching or exceeding 40 °C across large parts of the country. The capital Budapest set a new daily record of 39.4 °C on 31 July, matching the long‑standing national record recorded at Újpest and Győr‑Likócs stations.

A third‑degree heat alert remains in force, urging residents to stay hydrated, avoid strenuous outdoor work, and check on vulnerable groups such as the elderly and children. UV radiation is expected to reach very high to extreme levels, with the UV‑index climbing to 11 during midday.

The extreme dryness has sparked a surge in outdoor fires: more than 8,600 incidents were reported by 1 August, burning roughly 20 million m² of vegetation and causing injuries and fatalities. Authorities have imposed a nationwide fire‑ban in forests and a 200‑metre buffer zone.

The heat also strained the electricity system, prompting the state railway group MÁV to introduce temporary energy‑saving measures, including limiting locomotive power draw to 75 % of nominal between 17:00‑23:00 and shifting electric bus charging to after 23:00. These steps aim to preserve grid stability without compromising rail safety.

Entities: Budapest · Danube River · Ferenc József Bridge · Hungarian authorities · Hungarian public health officials · HungaroMet · Hungary · Mukics Dániel · MÁV Group

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

[● 2 SOURCES] The heatwave will last at least until August 8‑9, with temperatures near or above 40 °C in many parts of Hungary. (multiple articles)
[○ 1 SOURCE] Budapest recorded a temperature of 39.4 °C on 31 July, breaking a 105‑year record. (ec3d44ae-857c-4c88-b813-e2e168a0efde)
[○ 1 SOURCE] Forecasts predict temperatures of 35‑40 °C over the weekend, with possible peaks of 41‑42 °C early next week. (50432631-a776-452b-99b5-ccc06e8947e0)
[○ 1 SOURCE] More than 8,600 outdoor fire incidents were reported by 1 August, burning about 20 million m² of land. (1144036b-879f-462b-8cb5-7c7826dad933)
[○ 1 SOURCE] UV index is expected to reach very high to extreme levels, with values up to 11 during midday hours. (b8b4e70c-cbf1-4d6e-80ae-7ba8244605ec)
[○ 1 SOURCE] The national daily heat record of 39.4 °C was matched at Újpest and Győr‑Likócs weather stations. (ec3d44ae-857c-4c88-b813-e2e168a0efde)
[○ 1 SOURCE] MÁV Group introduced temporary energy‑saving measures limiting locomotive power draw to 75 % of nominal between 17:00‑23:00 and shifting electric bus charging to after 23:00. (46312b66-0e34-4a03-941e-c07baf13a5fa)
[○ 1 SOURCE] A third‑degree heat alert is in force, urging hydration, avoidance of strenuous outdoor activity, and checking on vulnerable people. (ec3d44ae-857c-4c88-b813-e2e168a0efde)