Southern Europe wildfires heatwave kills 3, forces mass evacuations, and shatters temperature records across the region. (Image Source: Reuters)
Three people have died and thousands have been forced to flee as a relentless heatwave fuels devastating wildfires across Southern Europe. Heat alerts have been issued in Italy, France, Spain, Portugal and the Balkans. Temperatures are expected to soar beyond 40°C in many areas. The extreme heat, worsened by climate change, has sparked dozens of blazes and forced urgent evacuations from homes, hotels, and heritage sites.
In Spain, a worker at a Tres Cantos equestrian center died while trying to save horses from the flames. Another man was killed while fighting a fire in Castile and Leon. In Montenegro, a soldier died and another was injured when their water tanker overturned during firefighting operations near Podgorica. Italy reported the death of a child from heatstroke on Monday.
Hundreds of Tres Cantos residents fled as a fast-moving blaze threatened the wealthy suburb. Officials confirmed it was contained by Tuesday morning. In Andalusia, about 2,000 people were evacuated from Tarifa’s hotels and homes. Regional Interior Minister Antonio Sanz said they saved the residential area “at the very last second.” Fires in Castile and Leon also threatened Las Medulas, a UNESCO World Heritage site, prompting pledges from regional leaders to restore it after the blaze.
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In Portugal, over 700 firefighters battled three major fires, with the worst near Trancoso. Church bells rang in Mendo Gordo to warn villagers as smoke rose in the distance. In southern France, temperature records fell at four weather stations on Monday. Three-quarters of the country remained under heat alerts, with outdoor public events banned in the Rhone department. Italy placed 11 major cities, including Rome, Milan, and Florence, on red alert due to extreme heat.
Montenegro’s authorities urged residents to stay indoors due to smoke from wildfires in the hills above Podgorica. Albania deployed soldiers to contain fires, while Greece requested EU assistance to battle over 100 wildfires and Athens evacuated 20 villages in Achaia and sought four water bombers through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism.
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Experts warn that climate change is intensifying both the frequency and severity of heatwaves. Akshay Deoras of the University of Reading stressed that “many still underestimate the danger.” More than half of Europe and the Mediterranean basin suffered drought in July — the highest on record for the month since 2012 — exceeding the 2012-2024 average by 21 percent.
