Key facts
- Firefighters are battling significant wildfires in Spain and France.
- Two firefighters died in France on Tuesday.
- Spain's worst wildfire this year has burned an estimated 32,000 hectares.
- A wildfire in France's Var region has burned 2,500 hectares and forced 400 people to evacuate.
- Southern Europe is experiencing a severe heatwave, with temperatures forecast to reach up to 44 degrees Celsius in some areas.
- Scientists link the increased intensity of heatwaves, droughts, and wildfires to human-driven climate change.
Firefighters are battling extensive wildfires in Spain and France as a severe heatwave grips southern Europe, with scientists warning that human-driven climate change is exacerbating such extreme weather events.
In Spain, the country's worst wildfire this year has consumed an estimated 32,000 hectares in the Guadalajara region. While the blaze began to stabilize, allowing some residents to return to their villages, the risk of further wildfires remains "very high or extreme" across most of mainland Spain and the Balearic Islands. Temperatures were forecast to peak around 39-42 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, with a potential surge to 42-44 C in Mediterranean regions on Thursday before a cooldown over the weekend. However, heat is expected to return early next week.
France is also contending with significant fires, particularly in the southeastern Var region, where a blaze has burned 2,500 hectares, damaged homes, and forced 400 people to evacuate. The situation was described as difficult, with approximately 1,100 firefighters working through the night. Authorities have banned barbecues and cancelled fireworks to mitigate fire risks. Two firefighters died in the Gironde region on Tuesday.
Elsewhere in Europe, Greece is experiencing its third day of intense heat, with temperatures forecast to exceed 41 C in Athens. Meanwhile, the Western Balkans have seen a shift from heatwaves to dangerous hailstorms, with several injuries reported in North Macedonia and Kosovo due to felled trees, damaged roofs, and power outages.