DARS warns of record traffic congestion during heat‑wave weekend

DARS heat wave traffic congestion emergency lane Slovenia

Slovenia is in the midst of its third heat wave of the season, prompting the Environment Agency (ARSO) to issue a red warning for Primorska and the central regions and an orange warning elsewhere. The highway operator DARS expects one of the busiest weekend traffic periods of the summer, driven by unusually high temperatures and the start of school holidays in the German states of Baden‑Württemberg and Bavaria, which will bring additional tourists toward the Slovenian coast and Croatia.

To mitigate the risk, DARS will carry out a preventive action on Friday and Saturday, distributing water and information leaflets at the Jesenice, Tepanje and Lom rest areas between 10 a.m.–2 p.m. and again 4 p.m.–8 p.m. Drivers are urged to rest, take enough water, and check current traffic conditions before setting off. The operator also reminds motorists how to create an emergency lane correctly: on two‑lane highways vehicles must keep to the extreme left or right, while on three‑lane highways the emergency lane is the space between the left‑most and middle lanes. It is forbidden to follow emergency vehicles, use the emergency lane for travel, or exit vehicles at rest areas for walking or photographing.

Entities: Administration for Protection and Rescue (URSZR) · Agency of the Republic of Slovenia for Environment (ARSO) · Celje Professional Fire Brigade · City of Celje · DARS · Municipality of Celje · Municipality of Radeče · Municipality of Radeče · Republic of Slovenia · Slovenian Environment Agency (ARSO) · Uprava Republike Slovenije za zaščito in reševanje (URSZR)

Claims

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

[○ 1 SOURCE] Radeče municipality issued an announcement of very high fire risk for its area. (Radeče municipality)
[● 3 SOURCES] The Administration for Protection and Rescue declared a large fire hazard for the whole of Slovenia at the end of July. (all belongs=true articles)
[● 3 SOURCES] Open burning, fireworks, and discarding burning objects are prohibited nationwide during the declared fire‑hazard period. (URSZR)
[● 2 SOURCES] An orange fire‑danger phase was declared for the rest of Slovenia. (ARS0)
[● 4 SOURCES] The Slovenian Environment Agency (ARSO) and the Inspectorate increased monitoring together with police during the fire‑danger period. (all belongs=true articles)
[● 2 SOURCES] Celje municipality introduced a fire‑guard programme with daily patrols by professional and volunteer fire units. (all belongs=true articles)
[● 3 SOURCES] A red fire‑danger phase was declared for the southwestern regions of Slovenia (Koper, Sežana, Divača, Hrpelje‑Kozina, Komen, Nova Gorica, Miren‑Kostanjevica, Renče‑Vogrsko). (all belongs=true articles)
[● 2 SOURCES] Temperatures are expected to reach up to 39 °C in the southwestern regions during the heat wave. (all belongs=true articles)
[○ 1 SOURCE] EU Emergency Coordination Centre warned that entire Europe could face severe forest fires by early August if current fires are not contained. (article 22c73fe2-f6cd-46f3-b1f7-82774eefa04f)
[○ 1 SOURCE] Police in Celje investigated suspected arson after multiple forest fires were reported in Marija Reka and Ložnica. (article 8f805616-6d0b-4e31-9b29-458965ad06cc)
[● 6 SOURCES] Increased traffic is driven by the start of school holidays in Germany’s Baden‑Württemberg and Bavaria. (All traffic‑related articles.)
[● 6 SOURCES] DARS will distribute water and informational leaflets at the Jesenice, Tepanje and Lom rest areas on Friday 10 a.m.–2 p.m. and Saturday 4 p.m.–8 p.m. (All traffic‑related articles.)