Spain is enduring its most devastating wildfire season since records began, with more than 1,100 deaths linked to the recent heatwave that has fuelled the blaze across the country.
Official figures from the Carlos III Health Institute show there were 1,149 excess deaths in Spain from August 3-18.
Experts are now saying they could be linked to the heatwaves that saw temperatures soar above 45C in some areas.
The fires have consumed more than 382,000 hectares of land, more than twice the size of London.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez warned that ‘difficult hours remain’ as exhausted emergency crews continue battling infernos that have destroyed villages, severed rail links and forced mass evacuations across the country.
Addressing the country during a visit to the hard-hit western region of Extremadura, Sánchez said: ‘I ask the media, and also citizens, to exercise extreme caution, to not let our guard down. Critical moments remain, difficult hours remain.
The crisis follows a searing 16-day heatwave that sent temperatures above 45C and left much of the country tinder-dry.
Thanks to Tuesday’s lower temperatures, fire crews had an advantage in battling the blazes that have ravaged many swathes of land.
Spain is enduring its most devastating wildfire season since records began, with blazes consuming more than 382,000 hectares of land
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez warned that ‘difficult hours remain’ as exhausted emergency crews continue battling infernos that have destroyed villages
Thanks to Tuesday’s lower temperatures, fire crews had an advantage in battling the blazes
Firefighters have been deployed across hard-hit regions, including Zamora, León, Ourense and Cáceres, supported by soldiers and a fleet of aircraft brought in under the European Union‘s civil protection mechanism.
Four people have lost their lives, among them a firefighter killed in a road accident, while others remain in hospital with serious injuries.
The king was forced to cut short his summer break to receive emergency briefings, and Sánchez has demanded a cross-party pact to confront what he called the worsening ‘climate emergency.’
This marks Spain’s worst-ever fire season since records began in 2006. It has eclipsed 2022’s case, when 306,000 hectares were burned.
Authorities say arson is suspected in a number of incidents, with 27 people arrested and dozens more under investigation. Last week, the regional leader of Castile and León also said he suspects arson in the infernos that led to the evacuation of more than 1,400 residents.
At the time, he said: ‘We will be relentless with the perpetrators of these attacks against the lives and safety of people and our historical and natural heritage
The prime minister’s trip to Extremadura was the second time he had gone to inspect affected areas.
In both visits, he said that Spain needed a ‘state pact to confront the climate emergency’ and also warned about how severe the wildfires have become.
This marks Spain’s worst-ever fire season since records began in 2006. It has eclipsed 2022’s case, when 306,000 hectares were burned
Turkey has declared multiple disaster zones as wildfires swept through its Mediterranean coast, killing at least 13 people
In Cyprus last month, wildfires destroyed several homes and infrastructure and killed two people attempting to escape in their car
He added: ‘Every year the climate emergency worsens, every year it becomes more recurrent, and every year its effects accelerate.’
Thousands of residents have had to flee their homes, and several roads have been sealed off completely.
Spain is not alone in facing catastrophe – Portugal has seen more than 235,000 hectares scorched this summer, five times the seasonal average.
Two firefighters were killed on Sunday when their truck plunged into a ravine while they were rushing to tackle a blaze, while in the north of the country, a deadly fire tornado claimed the life of a former mayor.
Last week, the mayor of Vila Real said: ‘We are under enormous attack, with absolutely incalculable losses, the resources are clearly insufficient given the scale of what we are experiencing.’
To the east, Turkey has declared multiple disaster zones as wildfires swept through its Mediterranean coast, killing at least 13 people, including emergency responders and forcing the evacuation of thousands of residents.
In İzmir province, more than 50,000 people were displaced as the flames raged on under suffocating heat.
In Cyprus last month, wildfires in the Limassol district destroyed several homes and infrastructure, killed two people attempting to escape in their car, and left scores injured.
In Cyprus, many villas were burned to the ground as fires ripped through several communities
Last month, huge fires consumed several areas in the popular holiday island of Crete
A firefighter battles a blaze in Delvine, southeast Albania on August 13
A British family emotionally told Daily Mail about how they scrambled to safety and lost their dream villa.
In Greece, the island of Crete was placed under a state of emergency as firefronts advanced on resorts and residential areas.
Wildfires have also been seen in Albania, Italy and France, making this one of the worst summers for wildfires across the continent.
