Wildfires and heatwaves grip southern Europe as evacuations ordered

Al Jazeera

a day ago

Southern Europe is battling deadly wildfires and extreme heat this week, with record temperatures and dry conditions forcing evacuations across France, Spain and Portugal.
An enormous wildfire in southern France's Aude region has killed one person, injured nine others, marking the country's largest wildfire this season.
The blaze, which erupted on Tuesday, has already scorched at least 15,000 hectares (37,000 acres) – an area larger than the city of Paris – in less than 24 hours. Fires have consumed forests, ravaged villages and damaged or destroyed at least 25 homes, with emergency officials warning that the blaze remains out of control.
'All of the nation's resources are mobilised,' President Emmanuel Macron said in a post on X, urging people to act with 'the utmost caution'.
More than 1,800 firefighters have been sent to battle the flames, backed by 600 vehicles and water-dropping aircraft.
'We have at our disposal in the Aude department the maximum number of personnel and resources that we can have in the south of France in its entirety,' said Remi Recio, deputy prefect of Narbonne.
An elderly woman who refused to evacuate was killed, while another person is missing. Two civilians were injured, including one in critical condition with burns, and seven firefighters suffered smoke inhalation.
Camping grounds and at least one village were partially evacuated, and roads were closed. 'I left everything behind me,' said David Cerdan, 51, who fled the village of Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse. 'I'm putting it into perspective. I only have material damage.'
Officials say the fire has already consumed as much land as all French wildfires in 2024 combined – more than double that of 2023. 'The fire is advancing in an area where all the conditions are ripe for it to progress,' said fire official Roesch. 'This fire will keep us busy for several days. It's a long-term operation.'
An investigation into the cause is under way. France's environment ministry said drought conditions and dry vegetation contributed to the spread, with water restrictions already in place in the Aude region.
'The risk of fire is greatest in the Mediterranean,' said climate and agriculture analyst Serge Zaka. 'In France, it is the hottest and driest area. But with climate change, these fire risks are expected to become more significant during the summer.'
Last month, a blaze near Marseille injured about 300 people. Scientists warn that climate change is driving more intense heat and dryness across Europe, the world's fastest-warming continent.
Spain and Portugal face heat-driven blazes
In Spain, a prolonged heatwave since Sunday – with temperatures reaching 43C (109F) – has helped fan multiple wildfires across the country.
The resort town of Tarifa in Andalusia saw more than 1,500 people and 5,000 vehicles evacuated after a fire broke out near La Pena, a wooded area close to the beach. The fire, believed to have started in a camper van, was rapidly spread by strong winds.
'What concerns us most right now is the wind, whether it shifts between the west and east,' said Antonio Sanz, Andalusia's interior minister.
Fire crews worked through the night to keep flames away from hotels and tourist accommodation, but the blaze remains active, and residents have not been allowed to return.
Elsewhere, a fire near Ponteceso in the Galicia region forced the evacuation of Corme Aldea village. In Cadiz, a blaze that erupted Tuesday led to mass evacuations, according to state broadcaster RTVE.
The Spanish meteorological agency AEMET has issued orange alerts across several regions through Friday. Civil protection authorities warn of 'high' or 'extreme' fire risk in much of the country.
Spain's Ministry of Health reported 1,060 excess deaths linked to extreme heat in July, a 57 percent increase over the same month last year, based on data from the national mortality monitoring system. While the data does not confirm direct causation, it is widely used to estimate heat-related deaths.
In neighbouring Portugal, wildfires have already burned more than 42,000 hectares (104,000 acres) in 2025 – the largest area since 2022 and eight times more than this time last year. More than half of that land was scorched in just the past two weeks.
Firefighters managed to bring a large blaze under control near Vila Real in the north on Wednesday, but others remain active. A fire in the city of Amarante continued to burn, while another in A Coruna reached emergency level 2 due to its proximity to populated areas.
Lisbon declared a state of alert until August 7, with more than 100 municipalities on maximum fire risk amid soaring temperatures.
Scientists say Southern Europe is on the front line of climate breakdown. Rising global temperatures are creating the conditions for longer and more destructive fire seasons.