BELGRADE, Serbia — A relentless heat wave that gripped parts of Europe this week has sent temperatures soaring to record highs for several days, causing at least two deaths and prompting European authorities to issue weather alerts.

Extreme heat in Italy and in parts of France and Spain and the Balkans has led to dozens of wildfires, damaged crops and increased power and water consumption. The authorities in some areas issued traffic restrictions and banned work in the open in the hottest part of the day as temperatures reached more than 104 Fahrenheit (40 Celsius). Some Europeans are calling the heat wave “Lucifer.”

Spain’s national weather service on Saturday issued an emergency warning for high temperatures for 31 of the country’s 50 provinces as forecasts predicted temperatures of up to 111.2.

Although this part of Europe is used to scorching summers, meteorologists say that such high temperatures lasting over several days are not that common.