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ITV News
5 days ago
- Climate
- ITV News
Heatwave and wildfire warnings hit Europe: Where is at risk and how to stay safe
Spain and Portugal is under a state of alert, with another heatwave triggering more wildfire warnings across the region. While the UK has been lashed by Storm Floris, other European countries have been battling extremely high temperatures. UK tourists travelling abroad are advised to plan ahead and be aware of the risk of fires in parts of Europe. What areas are affected by the heatwave? Spain's State Meteorological Agency issued warnings to 12 areas, with high temperatures expected to continue until at least orange alert level, which indicates a significant risk, has been issued in Andalusia, Castile-La Mancha, Extremadura, Galicia and Madrid with temperatures expected to hit 42 degrees. The slightly less severe yellow level alert is in place in Aragon, Cantabria, Castile and León, Catalonia, Navarre, the Basque Country and La Rioja. In Portugal, five regions are under red alert due to hot weather while most of the country is under an orange warning with temperatures expected to hit 40 Portugal has also entered a state of alert due to the high risk of fire in the coming days. Elsewhere, high temperature warnings have been issued for Sardinia in Italy and parts of southern Romania. Where is the risk of wildfires? According to the European Forest Fire Information System, extreme conditions and wildfire risk are forecast for the next seven days across the Iberian Peninsula, southern France, the Mediterranean coast -including southern Italy, the Balkans and Greece - Bulgaria and Romania. Over the past few days, thousands of firefighters have battled blazes in central and western Spain and in the north of Portugal. Authorities are worried the fires could be reignited in the current heatwave. Wildfires in Southwestern Bulgaria are also still smoldering after the country's largest fire in years destroyed 4,500 hectares of land and forest. So far this year, wildfires have raged in Europe, including in Turkey, Greece, Albania, Montenegro, Spain, Portugal and France. Already this year 1,478 fires have been detected across Europe, compared with 1,030 fires in the same period last year. How can you look after yourself in the heat? The main health risks from a heatwave are dehydration, overheating, heat exhaustion and heatstroke. According to the NHS, the people most at risk of heat-related illnesses are people over the age of 75, babies and children, and people with serious or long-term health conditions including heart or lung issues, diabetes, kidney disease and Parkinson's disease. For British tourists travelling to these locations, the medical advice is to keep out of the heat as much as possible. If you are outside, stick to the shade, wear sunscreen and light, loose clothing and avoid alcohol, caffeine and activity that increases your heat. It is also important to cool yourself down with cold drinks, taking a cool shower or putting cool water on your skin and clothes. Have heatwaves been worse this year? Many heat records have been broken across western Europe this year, with heatwaves showing no signs of easing yet. But even typically colder Nordic countries have experienced long periods of hot weather this summer. Helsinki's record-breaking heatwave saw the city live through 22 consecutive days of temperatures above 30 degrees this summer, the record for consecutive days over 30 degrees was 13 days in a row during June–July in 1972.
New Straits Times
03-08-2025
- Climate
- New Straits Times
Spain, Portugal on wildfire watch as heatwave rolls in
BARCELONA: Spain and Portugal on Sunday braced for a fresh heatwave set to sweep the Iberian peninsula, with Lisbon warning of a very high risk of wildfires. Temperatures are forecast to be between 5C to 10C above seasonal norms, with Spain's Aemet weather agency warning it was "likely that the heatwave lasts long and persists till at least next Sunday." Parts of Extremadura in western Spain and Andalucia in the south faced potential temperatures of up to 42C, while Portugal extended a wildfire alert till Thursday as firefighters battled a spate of blazes. Spanish firefighters meanwhile were working to control a fire which had already ravaged around 570 hectares (1,400 acres) near the northwestern town of Vilardevos. Fires have burnt more than 25,700 hectares of Portugal since the beginning of 2025, according to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS). Scientists have long warned that climate change driven by humanity's burning of fossil fuels is making extreme weather events such as heatwaves more likely and more intense. --AFP
See - Sada Elbalad
03-08-2025
- Climate
- See - Sada Elbalad
Portugal & Spain Declare State of Emergency due to Intensive Heatwave
Rana Atef Portugal declared a state of emergency from Sunday to Thursday due to an intense heatwave threatening to spark widespread wildfires across the country, according to Minister of Internal Administration Maria Lucia Amaral. Authorities predict that temperatures will range between 36 and 44°C, with a significant drop in humidity levels, which increases the risk of fires in rural areas and forests. The extraordinary measures imposed by the Portuguese government include: A ban on entering or staying in forested areas. A prohibition on lighting fires or carrying out any burning activities. A ban on the use of heavy machinery in rural areas. A suspension of all permits related to fireworks or incendiary materials. These measures coincide with similar preparations in Spain, which is also facing a heatwave that may lead to wildfires in some of the southern and western regions of the country. Europe is experiencing an unprecedented and catastrophic summer in terms of the intensity of forest fires. High temperatures and drought conditions have sparked thousands of fires that have ravaged vast areas of land. According to the Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia, record levels of greenhouse gas emissions have been recorded that have not been seen in over two decades. According to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS), by the end of July, over 292,000 hectares in EU countries had been consumed by fires—more than double the amount burned in the same period last year, surpassing the average for the past 19 years. read more Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685 NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided News Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks News Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank News Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region News One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid News Israeli-Linked Hadassah Clinic in Moscow Treats Wounded Iranian IRGC Fighters Arts & Culture "Jurassic World Rebirth" Gets Streaming Date News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier News Ayat Khaddoura's Final Video Captures Bombardment of Beit Lahia Business Egyptian Pound Undervalued by 30%, Says Goldman Sachs Videos & Features Tragedy Overshadows MC Alger Championship Celebration: One Fan Dead, 11 Injured After Stadium Fall Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt Arts & Culture South Korean Actress Kang Seo-ha Dies at 31 after Cancer Battle Arts & Culture Lebanese Media: Fayrouz Collapses after Death of Ziad Rahbani Sports Get to Know 2025 WWE Evolution Results
ITV News
28-07-2025
- Climate
- ITV News
Wildfires in Europe: Where are they and what's the advice for travellers?
Wildfires have been sweeping through parts of Europe, claiming lives and prompting evacuations. Turkey, Greece, Montenegro and Bulgaria have all been impacted to date. So, what is the situation in each of the countries and what is the advice for those planning to travel to the region? Turkey Wildfires have been plaguing Turkey for weeks, causing multiple deaths and forcing more than 3,500 people to flee their homes. Areas affected so far include Mersin, Antalya, the central province of Usak, Bursa and Karabuk. Turkey recorded its highest ever temperature of 50.5C in the southeastern Sirnak province on Friday, according to the General Directorate of Meteorology. While the Foreign Office hasn't issued any wildfire-specific guidance for travelling to Turkey, it does say that wildfires "happen frequently" in the country and that visitors should look out for local signs regarding fires, barbeques and smoking. Turkey's emergency services can be contacted by calling 112. Greece Firefighters tackled active wildfires in southwest Greece and on the island of Kythera on Sunday after a fire that scorched the northern Athens suburb of Kryoneri on Saturday. Much of the country is experiencing high temperatures in excess of 38C, but winds have died down since the weekend. The Foreign Office says there is a "high risk" of wildfires in Greece between April and October but it does not actively warn against travel. It does suggest registering your mobile phone to receive emergency alerts about wildfires near your holiday location. Greece's emergency services can be contacted by calling 112. Montenegro Montenegro has similarly suffered with wildfires in recent weeks due to high temperatures, dry conditions and strong winds. Areas around the capital, Podgorica, have been particularly affected. The Foreign Office says wildfires are "highly dangerous and unpredictable" between April and October and recommends being especially cautious when visiting the countryside, ensuring cigarettes are properly put out and not lighting barbeques and fires unless in a designated area. Montenegro's emergency services can be contacted by calling 112. Bulgaria Southern Bulgaria borders Greece and Turkey, and is suffering with similar wildfires. The Bulgarian government declared the worst-hit provinces as disaster zones, with around half the country's population receiving code red warnings - the highest warning level. National Fire Service chief Alexander Djartov told reporters that 236 wildfires were burning over the weekend. The Foreign Office doesn't advise against travelling to Bulgaria because of the fires, but it does say there is "danger of large-scale and quick-spreading fires" in forests and fields. Bulgaria's emergency services can be contacted by calling 112. Are the wildfires worse than usual? More land than ever before has been burned across the European Union so far in 2025, according to the European Forest Fire Information System. Just over 200,000 hectares have been in flames - that's more than twice the average for between 2006 and 2024. Will they continue to get worse? Areas prone to wildfires tend to have warnings in place for the whole warm weather period, so fires could cause problems until around October. Hotter and drier conditions associated with climate change are expected to increase the likelihood and severity of wildfires in the future. Southern European countries are set to be worst affected, European Commission data shows.
Local Spain
18-07-2025
- Climate
- Local Spain
Firefighters bring fire near Madrid under control
fire Spanish firefighters on Friday were bringing under control a forest fire near Madrid that had cloaked the capital in a huge cloud of acrid smoke. The blaze that broke out on Thursday around 50 kilometres (30 miles) southwest of the city had burned 3,100 hectares (7,660 acres), the Madrid region's leader Isabel Diaz Ayuso wrote on X. More than 100 firefighters and the Spanish army's emergencies unit were deployed on the ground and in the air to extinguish the flames. "The fire is now contained," Madrid's emergency services agency said, warning that the wind forecast for Friday "could make the work difficult". Madrid's civil protection authority advised people to stay indoors on Thursday as the gigantic cloud of orange and grey smoke hung over the city, recommending masks to avoid inhaling ash. Normality was returning on Friday in the municipalities closest to the fire, with a major motorway reopened and clear skies in Madrid. Although the cause of the fire is unknown, Spain is experiencing hotter summers stoked by human-induced climate change, which increases the length, frequency and intensity of wildfires. More than 25,000 hectares have burned so far this year, according to the European Forest Fire Information System. See Also
