Wildfires spread across southern Europe as heatwave intensifies

Hundreds of firefighters are battling major wildfires across France, Spain and Portugal as another spell of extreme heat grips southern Europe.

Hundreds of firefighters are battling major wildfires across France, Spain and Portugal as another spell of extreme heat grips southern Europe. Rising temperatures and dry weather have created dangerous conditions, allowing fires to spread rapidly through forests and protected natural areas while raising fears of a difficult wildfire season ahead.

The latest fires have already destroyed more than 17,000 hectares of land across the three countries. Weather forecasters warned that temperatures could reach nearly 40 degrees Celsius in several regions on Sunday, increasing the risk of fresh outbreaks and making firefighting efforts even more challenging.

In northeastern Spain, a large wildfire near the Costa Brava coastline has burned more than 2,200 hectares in just two days. Fire crews worked throughout the night to bring the blaze under control and managed to stabilise its perimeter. However, officials warned that high temperatures and numerous remaining hotspots could cause the fire to flare up again. The blaze has caused significant damage to the protected Gavarres natural area, located between Barcelona and the French border.

Regional authorities also confirmed that one person had been detained in connection with the fire as investigators continue to determine how it started. Emergency teams remain on alert to prevent the flames from spreading further into nearby communities and forests.

In neighbouring France, nearly 600 firefighters have been deployed to tackle a large wildfire near Trevillach, east of Perpignan. The fire has already burned more than 1,000 hectares of mountainside vegetation. Authorities have closed several roads and instructed local officials to prepare emergency shelters in case residents are forced to leave their homes.

Another wildfire is also burning in the mountainous Drome region in southeastern France, where hundreds of firefighters continue efforts to contain the flames. French officials have expressed growing concern that this year’s wildfire season has started much earlier than usual following an exceptionally hot June.

Portugal is facing its own struggle against a massive wildfire in the north of the country. Emergency services say they have managed to control most of the blaze, which has destroyed around 13,000 hectares of forest and scrubland since it began on Thursday. More than 1,200 firefighters have taken part in the operation, supported by aircraft and emergency crews from Spain and Italy after Portugal requested international assistance. At least nine people have suffered burn injuries during the emergency.

Several regions across Portugal, Spain and southern France remain under heat alerts as temperatures continue to climb. Weather experts expect the latest heatwave to move further north in the coming days and warn that high temperatures could continue until next weekend.

Scientists have linked Europe’s repeated heatwaves to climate change, saying the unusually intense weather experienced during May and June would have been highly unlikely without global warming. The recent heat has already had a serious human impact. France reported more than 2,000 additional deaths during a single week of extreme temperatures, while Spain and Belgium each recorded over 1,000 excess deaths.

Emergency officials believe the worst may still lie ahead. Fire authorities are urging the public to avoid activities that could accidentally spark new fires, warning that forests remain extremely dry and vulnerable. They say cooperation from local communities will be essential as firefighters prepare for what could become one of the longest and most demanding wildfire seasons in recent years.