Relentless heat drives massive blazes
Southern Europe continues to battle intense wildfires as extreme heat grips the region. In Spain, 25% of weather stations reported 40C or higher, with Cádiz registering 45.8C, the weather agency Aemet confirmed. Authorities warned of “extreme fire danger” in most regions despite forecasts that the heatwave will gradually ease.
High death toll and widespread evacuations
So far, Spain has lost 348,000 hectares of land to flames this year, while Portugal has seen 216,000 hectares burn, according to Copernicus. In Spain, four lives have been claimed, including a firefighter in a truck accident, while two firefighters died in Portugal. Over 31,000 Spanish residents were evacuated within a week, and 500 more soldiers were deployed to reinforce firefighting efforts.
Sánchez urges united response to climate threat
Visiting fire-hit regions, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called for a national agreement to confront climate change. He emphasized the need for a strategy that goes beyond party lines and rests on science. However, opposition conservatives dismissed his proposal, demanding concrete action instead of what they termed political theater.
EU nations seek help as crisis spreads
Wildfires across the continent have scorched more than 530,000 hectares this year, over twice the two-decade average. Governments from Spain to Bulgaria have asked for EU firefighting support, while Portugal requested additional Canadair aircraft. Drought conditions across Mediterranean countries leave vegetation extremely flammable, increasing the risk of further outbreaks.
Officials describe conditions as unprecedented
Spain’s defence minister, Margarita Robles, warned that firefighters face unprecedented challenges due to climate change. She said the Military Emergencies Unit had not encountered fires of this scale or intensity since its creation 20 years ago.
