Barcelona, August 1: A climate expert from Spain has reported that Western Europe is warming at a rate faster than many other regions worldwide. This increase in temperature is leading to more heatwaves and a heightened risk of wildfires.
At the end of July, Spain faced its fourth heatwave of the summer, with temperatures expected to reach up to 42 degrees Celsius in several areas. Ruben del Campo, a spokesperson for Spain’s State Meteorological Agency (AEMET), noted that the country experienced extremely high temperatures in both June and July.
According to AEMET, this year has seen June become the second hottest and the third driest month since national records began in 1961. The intense heat has also led to wildfires, forcing nearly 200,000 people to evacuate their homes in Spain and southern France this summer.
Del Campo stated on Friday, “Some studies indicate that Western Europe, including the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Spain, and Portugal, is experiencing a more rapid increase in heat compared to many other parts of the world. We are more susceptible to heatwaves.”
He further explained that countries around the Mediterranean are particularly vulnerable to heatwaves under new climate conditions. By the end of May, temperatures in some parts of Spain had already reached 35 degrees Celsius.
The World Meteorological Organization reported in July that Europe has seen an increase of nearly two degrees Celsius since the historic heatwave of 1976. Del Campo believes that the continuous rise in summer temperatures is primarily due to climate change.
He remarked, “There is a clear link with climate change. An increase in average temperatures always leads to more extreme heat events, and that is exactly what we are witnessing.”
According to reports from Xinhua News Agency, significant wildfires have erupted in areas near Madrid and southwestern France, particularly around Bordeaux, as well as in parts of central Spain. Del Campo explained, “The heat starts early, and the lack of rainfall means that drought conditions begin sooner in the summer. This results in vegetation, especially fine grasses and shrubs, drying out more quickly. When fires ignite, this dry organic matter burns rapidly, making it difficult to control the flames from the outset.”
The risk of wildfires remains high throughout August due to the persistent high temperatures. He added, “Due to climatic factors alone, fire management must adapt to these prolonged and intense summers.”
As of the end of July, the Spanish Ministry of Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge reported that wildfires had affected nearly 180,000 hectares of land in Spain, nearly six times the 29,817 hectares recorded during the same period in 2025.
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