Record heatwaves have turned Europe into a sweltering sauna above 40 degrees Celsius.
The extreme summer heat has created favorable conditions for rampant wildfires, which have already killed several people, displaced thousands, and forced firefighters to battle blazes across large parts of Europe, reports 24brussels.
In France, a heatwave has shattered temperature records in the southwest, with maximums soaring up to 12 degrees Celsius above normal before spreading to the central and eastern regions. “Often remarkable, even unprecedented maximum temperatures, often 12 degrees above normal levels, were reached this Monday,” Meteo France stated.
The intense heat, compounded by dry winds and minimal rainfall, has sparked wildfires throughout southern Europe and the Balkans. Croatia reported air temperature records with Sibenik reaching 39.5 degrees and Dubrovnik at 38.9 degrees, as significant forest fires erupted along its coasts and spread to neighboring countries.
In Spain, a lightning-sparked wildfire near Madrid resulted in one fatality, forced hundreds of residents to evacuate, and scorched approximately 1,000 hectares. A second fire in the southern resort town of Tarifa prompted 2,000 more evacuations, while additional blazes in Zamora and Castilla y Leon sent hundreds fleeing. A fire map published by RTVE illustrates widespread activity, with orange and red indicators marking active fires and affected areas.
As Spain grapples with its 10th consecutive day of a record-breaking heatwave, peaking at 45 degrees, authorities are requesting assistance from European partners. Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska confirmed preparations to seek additional support, including more firefighters.
Meanwhile, wildfires continue to ravage northern Portugal, with over 1,300 firefighters and 16 aircraft engaged in battling flames, including one fire that has persisted for 10 days. Large fires are also reported in northwestern Türkiye, Albania, and Montenegro, with thick smoke hampering visibility in several towns. In Albania, one person died; a Montenegrin soldier lost his life during firefighting efforts, while Greece has ordered emergency evacuations in multiple tourist areas.
Meteorologists attribute the extreme heat to a substantial high-pressure system drawing warm, dry air across the continent, with conditions expected to continue through at least Monday in numerous regions.
Data from the EU Copernicus Climate Change Service indicates that while the planet heats up, Europe warms at more than double the global average since the 1980s. The EU’s climate monitoring agency correlates this accelerated warming with changes in weather patterns, reduced air pollution levels, and Europe’s geographical characteristics, particularly areas extending into the Arctic, the fastest-warming region on Earth.
Research indicates that extreme heat claims tens of thousands of lives in Europe annually. By the century’s end, dangerous heatwaves could result in an additional 8,000 to 80,000 deaths per year, according to projections, as mortality from heightened temperatures surpasses saved lives from milder winters.
“This summer, like every summer now, has been exceptional in terms of extreme heat around the world,” noted Bob Ward, policy director at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the London School of Economics.
