Southern Europe is in the grip of a fierce and prolonged heatwave, with temperatures soaring to record-breaking levels across several countries and prompting health and wildfire alerts.
Spain recorded its hottest June day on Saturday, with temperatures hitting 46°C in Huelva, near the Portuguese border—surpassing a record set nearly 60 years ago in Seville. Meanwhile, other regions in Spain such as Andalusia and Extremadura also endured temperatures above 44°C, according to the national weather agency, AEMET.
Across the Mediterranean, countries including France, Italy, and Portugal have been battling extreme heat for several days, with forecasts showing little relief. France placed 84 of its 96 mainland departments under “orange” heat alerts—its second-highest warning level—as temperatures approached 40°C nationwide. Only the northwestern tip of the country escaped the alert.
“This is unprecedented,” said Agnès Pannier-Runacher, France’s Minister for Ecological Transition. Meteo France warned that the heatwave would likely peak between Monday and Wednesday.
Emergency services across Europe are on high alert, with ambulances deployed near tourist areas and firefighters tackling outbreaks of wildfires in France, Turkey, and Greece. In Italy, 21 cities including Rome, Milan, and Naples were under high heat warnings as hospital emergency rooms reported a 10% surge in heat-related cases.
Portugal’s capital Lisbon and surrounding areas remained under red alerts, with two-thirds of the country facing high wildfire risk. On the island of Sicily, firefighters responded to 15 separate blazes on Saturday alone.
In Madrid, where temperatures neared 40°C, residents expressed concern about the changing climate. “The heat we’re experiencing is not normal for this time of year,” said 32-year-old photographer Diego Radames. “Each year, it feels like the city is getting hotter.”
Scientists are linking the intensified heatwave to climate change and the growing “urban heat island” effect, which exacerbates high temperatures in densely built-up areas. “We are seeing more frequent and severe heatwaves in the Mediterranean,” said Dr. Emanuela Piervitali of Italy’s Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA). “We must prepare for even hotter conditions in the future.”
The soaring temperatures are also influencing local ecosystems. ISPRA has launched a public campaign warning about the arrival of four venomous marine species, including lionfish and silver-cheeked toadfish, now appearing in warmer Mediterranean waters.
Meteorologist Cathal Nolan of the Irish Weather Channel explained the phenomenon as a “heat dome”—a large area of high pressure trapping hot air below. “It acts like a lid on a pot,” he told RTÉ, “compressing and heating the air day after day.”
With the heat spreading eastwards into the Balkans and Greece, authorities are urging people to stay hydrated, avoid outdoor activity during peak hours, and monitor vulnerable populations as Europe braces for more days of extreme temperatures.
