Spain’s Hottest Heatwave on Record Fuels Devastating Wildfires

Spain has endured what meteorologists are calling the country’s most intense heatwave on record, news agency AFP reported on Sunday. According to the country’s state weather agency AEMET, the 16-day extreme weather event that lasted between August 3 and 18 saw temperatures soaring to an average of 4.6 degrees Celsius above typical levels — much higher than the previous record set in July 2022.

AEMET shared the data on X, noting “a scientific fact that current summers are hotter than in previous decades.” The weather forecaster further warned that while not every summer will outdo the last, “there is a clear trend towards much more extreme summers. What is key is adapting to, and mitigating, climate change.”

 Wildfires Made Worse by Extreme Heat

According to the report, the record-breaking temperatures created the perfect storm for wildfires, which have ravaged large swathes of the country, especially in Castile and Leon, Extremadura, and Galicia. So far, over 403,000 hectares of land has been charred — most of it in just two weeks time — making it one of the worst wildfire seasons since the European Union record keeping began in 2006, according to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS).

Virginia Barcones, head of Spain’s civil protection and emergencies service, told TVE on Saturday that there are “fewer” fires, and “the end is a lot nearer”.

However, Barcones added, “We will need a final push to be done with this horrible situation.” At least 18 wildfires reportedly remained active at the time of writing this report, with most still posing a threat to people and property.