Southern Europe Reels Under Deadly Heatwave As Wildfires Rage Across Regions

Southern Europe is reeling under a deadly heatwave, with temperatures soaring up to 42 degrees Celsius (107.6 degrees Fahrenheit). Meteorologists have issued heat warnings as Meteo-France placed over half the country under alerts, including 12 departments under red alert, while Spain’s Aemet flagged “extreme danger” in Zaragoza and the Basque Country, The Guardian reported on Monday.

Both agencies have warned of an “intense, even exceptional” heatwave, urging the residents to stay vigilant.

Fires Fuelled by a ‘Molotov Cocktail’

Experts have warned that a mix of climatic conditions — a wet spring leading to abundant vegetation, followed by intense heat, dry spells, and strong winds — is creating a wildfire ‘molotov cocktail.’

The impact:

• In France, the largest fire since 1949 is now under control, with one confirmed death and 20 firefighters plus five civilians injured.
• In Italy, Florence is bracing for 40 degrees Celsius, and Mount Vesuvius trails were closed as fires raged on the regional slopes.
• In Spain, blazes in Leon and Zamora reportedly drove over 1,000 people from their homes as wildfires continue to menace Galicia.

Cristina Santin Nuno of the Spanish National Research Council said this wave of blazes was “to be expected” given the conditions. 

“If we add to this the relatively easy possibility that a spark can ignite a fire somewhere … we have all the ingredients for the ‘molotov cocktail’ we are seeing right now,” she explained, per The Guardian.

Breaking Records Across the Region

France expects new heat records on Monday and Tuesday, with Tourbes in the southwest already hitting record 41.4 degrees Celsius over the weekend.

In Spain, the Ebro basin, southern and eastern Iberian Peninsula, and eastern Cantabrian Sea faced escalating temperatures. The interior is forecast to witness 37–39 degrees Celsius , with the Basque Country reaching over 40 degrees Celsius and the lower Guadalquivir valley possibly exceeding 42 degrees Celsius.

Soil scientist Jesús Santiago Notario del Pino noted that even northwestern regions, not typically fire-prone, are burning, possibly poitning toward an evidence of how “extreme and prolonged heat” is drying out the land and increasing fire risk.

Climate Change in the Spotlight

Europe has warmed nearly twice as fast as the global average. According to the report, a warm, dry air mass over France and Iberia, combined with strong summer sun, has supercharged temperatures.

The wildfires are even threatening cultural landmarks, including Las Medulas, a UNESCO World Heritage site. 

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