(Bloomberg) -- Thunderstorms over Greece and the Balkans risk both flooding and lightning strikes that could trigger more wildfires, while heat continues to sear southern Spain.

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There are orange storm alerts for Greece’s Ionian Sea islands, including Corfu, while flooding has been reported in some northern areas, such as Ioannina. Almost a quarter of the 44 wildfires in the country over the 24 hours to 6:30 p.m. on Sunday were caused by lightning at high altitudes, making them hard to extinguish. Large parts of Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo are also threatened.

“As weather phenomena with intense lightning activity are expected in the next few days, we must be alert,” said Greek Civil Protection Minister Vasilis Kikilias.

Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, including heat waves, violent storms and wildfires. Countries around the Mediterranean Sea — which reached a record average temperature last week — are some of the most severely impacted as fossil fuel emissions warm the planet.

There’s a high wildfire risk on Monday for Athens and the surrounding Attica region, as well as the islands of Crete, Evia and Rhodes. Hail damaged pear orchards and melon fields in Krioneri in northern Greece.

Heat alerts are in place across southern Spain, with temperatures climbing as high as 40C (104F).

On the Portuguese island of Madeira in the Atlantic Ocean, authorities continued to fight a wildfire that started last week.

Heat warnings cover parts of Romania and Hungary in central Europe, while temperatures will also climb over Germany and Switzerland toward the end of the week.

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In Berlin, the mean temperature is forecast to rise as high as 25C on Friday, 6C above the 30-year norm, according to Weather Services International. The same above norm is expected for Zurich, where the average temperature could climb up to 24C.

The UK and Norway will stay relatively cool for the time of year, with a low of 9C in Oslo on Monday. There’s a yellow rain warning in place of southwest Scotland.

--With assistance from Joao Lima.

(Updates with flooding in second paragraph and Madeira wildfire in seventh)

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