Seven major fires were reported in North Macedonia where temperatures of up to 42 degrees Celsius (107 Fahrenheit) were predicted for Tuesday, authorities said.

Five fires were out of control in Albania where temperatures ranged from 37C to 41C on Monday. In Croatia, a fire near the tourist town of Sibenik was being fought by dozens of civil emergency experts and six specialist planes.

Some of the fires in North Macedonia have been burning for several days, notably one in the Ezerani natural park close to lake Prespa, and the country's mayors have complained they do not have enough resources to battle the fires.

According to the mayors' association, the 400 firefighters in North Macedonia are half the number that the law lays down as the minimum. Their vehicles are on average 27 years old.

Serbia was on a heat alert with highs around 38C on Monday, but temperatures were expected to start falling. The country is already suffering from one of its worst droughts in living memory.

Northern Bosnia was also braced for temperatures of up to 40C.