Extreme heat waves, wildfires continue to strain southern Europe

ISTANBUL/GENEVA

Southern Europe continued Tuesday to battle extreme heat waves and wildfires.

The Meteo-France weather service has issued a red alert for 14 departments in southern France until Wednesday as temperatures increased up to 42° Celsius (107.6° Fahrenheit).

While the heat wave is expected to last for days, the risk of fire also remains.

Spain has been grappling with dozens of wildfires, which have scorched thousands of hectares of land and forced thousands of people to spend the night outside their homes, especially in the cities of Castile, Leon, and Cadiz and in several residential areas north of Madrid, according to the daily El Pais.

The fire that broke out in a municipality in Madrid killed one person and burned around 1,000 hectares of land (2,471 acres) before being contained.

The country's Interior Ministry declared the pre-emergency plan due to active fires.

The Spanish Meteorological Agency also issued a red alert as temperatures in several regions are expected to reach up to 44°C (111°F).

In Portugal, over 1,700 firefighters have been battling four separate fires across the country on Tuesday, the broadcaster RTP reported.

The Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere extended the orange heat alert till Thursday, as some regions' temperatures are expected to reach up to 44°C (111°F).

Since the beginning of 2025, wildfires in Portugal have burned 42,000 hectares of land, an area roughly five times the size of the capital, Lisbon.

Greece and Albania have also been dealing with the ongoing wildfires in several regions.

Wildfires sweeping across western and Aegean Greece have forced the evacuation of villages, damaged homes and farms, and triggered sea rescues, according to Ekathimerini.

In Achaia, fast-moving fires reached residential zones and closed roads near Patras.

On Chios Island, dozens stranded on beaches were rescued by the coast guard, according to the report. Firefighting forces nationwide remain fully mobilized as officials warn that extreme heat and strong winds are fueling the blazes.

Late Tuesday, Greek Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis said evacuations of the Kato Achaia and Thesprotiko health centers have been completed as wildfires rage in Achaia, Preveza and Chios.

Emergency services have deployed multiple ambulances, transferring several patients with respiratory issues and minor burns to hospitals and shelters.

In Achaia, seven people were taken to the University General Hospital of Patras, while others were moved to nearby health centers. In Preveza, residents and patients from evacuated facilities were relocated to the General Hospital of Arta.

On Chios, six people with respiratory problems were hospitalized.

Meanwhile, in Switzerland, the government has issued a level 3 heat warning for parts of western Switzerland and Ticino this week, citing "considerable danger."

The alert covers the Lake Geneva region, Lower Valais, the Three-Lakes area, the Broye in Fribourg, and Ticino, where maximum temperatures of 32–37°C (over 89–98°F) and warm nights are expected, according to MeteoSwiss.

Authorities have also declared the highest wildfire danger level in parts of Valais, including the Visp Valley, Simplon Nord, and the Lotschberg south ramp.

More than 350,000 hectares have been burned across Europe since the beginning of the year, with at least 1,478 fires detected so far, according to the European Forest Fires Information System.