Europe swelters as heatwave sweeps across Mediterranean with wildfires raging in Portugal and Greece

A severe heatwave is intensifying across southern Europe, with France bracing for its third major heat event of the summer. Temperatures are expected to reach 40°C (104°F) across southern France today, spreading northwards tomorrow as the sweltering conditions move through the country. Authorities are on high alert for potential wildfires across the Mediterranean region, where dry conditions have created ideal circumstances for fires to spread rapidly.

Portugal is currently battling massive wildfires in its central regions, where around 1,200 firefighters have been fighting flames for the past three days. The scale of the fires has created significant smoke pollution affecting major population centres, with health concerns mounting as toxic air quality impacts residents and emergency services alike.

Greece is similarly struggling with devastating fires, with particular concerns in the northern city of Thessaloniki—the country’s second-largest city. Authorities there have taken the unusual step of ordering residents to keep windows closed as a precaution against smoke inhalation and air quality hazards. The unprecedented nature of these orders underscores the severity of the situation facing Greek authorities.

The heatwave reflects broader climate trends affecting southern Europe this summer, with repeated temperature records being broken across the region. Meteorologists warn that such extreme weather events are becoming increasingly common, with potential implications for public health, infrastructure and natural resources across the continent.

Source: Ynet — Original article in Hebrew.