Spain, France battle raging wildfires amid extreme heat

Europe is grappling with fast-spreading wildfires as the Southern part is in the grip of extreme heat.

In Spain, the country’s worst wildfire in the Guadalajara region burned an estimated 32,000 hectares, forcing evacuations across 34 municipalities.

According to Castilla-La Mancha's INFOCAM fire service, the fire began to stabilize, thereby allowing residents of five villages to return home. In spite of it, the national weather agency has warned that wildfire risk remains very high or extreme across most of Spain and the Balearic Islands.

Temperatures are peaking at 39–42°C on Wednesday, with Mediterranean regions expected to reach 42–44°C before a temporary cooldown starting Friday.

Similarly, in France two firefighters lost their lives while battling the blazing fires in the southwestern region of Gironde. In the southeastern Var area, around 2,500 hectares of land has been charred by a wildfire, leading to displacement of 400 people.

To contain the incidents of wildfires, French authorities banned barbecues and canceled traditional summer fireworks due to the high human-driven risk.

"The situation has been very difficult. Some ⁠1,100 firefighters fought all night," Commander William Vogl, a spokesperson for the Var firefighters, said on RMC radio.

Beyond France and Spain, the eastern and mainland areas in Greece bore the brunt of heat for a third consecutive day with temperatures forecast to top 41C. Authorities put a ban on outdoor work during peak midday sun and advised employers to implement remote work for vulnerable people.

Europe is increasingly turning into the world’s fastest warming continent due to climate change and extreme weather events driven by anthropogenic activities.

The continent has witnessed three back-to-back heatwaves this year, contributing to thousands of excess deaths between May and June.