Spain and Portugal Brace for Scorching Heatwave Amid Heightened Wildfire Threat
Spain and Portugal are on high alert as a searing heatwave sweeps across the Iberian Peninsula, bringing temperatures up to 10°C above seasonal norms and significantly increasing the risk of wildfires.
Spain’s national weather agency, Aemet, has warned that the heatwave is “likely to be prolonged,” with extreme conditions expected to persist until at least next Sunday. Parts of Extremadura in the west and Andalucía in the south could see the mercury climb to 42°C, while Portugal’s civil protection authorities have extended a nationwide wildfire alert through Thursday.
Fire crews in Spain are battling a major blaze near the northwestern town of Vilardevos, which has already scorched about 570 hectares (1,400 acres) of land. Across the border, Portugal has seen more than 25,700 hectares destroyed by fire so far this year, according to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS).
Scientists have long cautioned that climate change, fueled by the burning of fossil fuels, is intensifying the frequency and severity of extreme weather events.
This latest heatwave underscores the growing vulnerability of southern Europe, where prolonged drought, parched vegetation, and soaring temperatures create a dangerous recipe for fast-spreading wildfires.
