Extreme Heat and Intense Forest Fires in Europe: Hundreds of Casualties

In July, an abnormal heat wave has hit European countries, with temperatures rising above 40 degrees Celsius in some regions. According to Meduza, wildfires have erupted in Spain, Portugal, France, and other countries, leading authorities to evacuate thousands of residents from fire-risk areas. Hundreds of people have died due to the heat, prompting many EU countries to declare a state of emergency. Experts link these events to climate change.

In some regions of Spain, temperatures have reached 45 degrees. According to data from the Carlos III Health Institute, approximately 360 people died from the heat between July 10 and 15. On July 17, Spain reported 36 active wildfires, 24 of which are actively spreading, according to El Pais. More than 20,000 hectares of forest have been destroyed, and over 2,000 people have been evacuated from high-risk areas. This represents the second wave of extreme heat in Spain, following a previous incident in mid-June when temperatures also exceeded 40 degrees and resulted in over 800 deaths.

In Portugal, temperatures have reached 47 degrees. On July 16, the Ministry of Health reported 659 deaths due to the heat in the past seven days. Severe wildfires continue in the northern and central parts of the country. On July 17, The Guardian reported that the number of active wildfires decreased from 20 to 11. From the beginning of the year until mid-June, natural fires affected approximately 40,000 hectares of forest, three times more than the same period last year, according to Portugal’s Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests.

At the end of June, the National Institute of Meteorology reported that 96% of continental Portugal is experiencing severe drought. In France, an orange alert has been declared in 51 departments (out of a total of 101, including overseas territories) due to abnormal heat. Another 15 departments are at the maximum danger level,