Two individuals perished in northeastern Spain as a rapidly spreading wildfire consumed 6,500 hectares (16,000 acres) of rural countryside in Lleida province before firefighters established containment, according to AP News.
Catalan regional president Salvador Illa confirmed the fatalities late Tuesday, stating that emergency services battled “extreme difficulties” amid record-breaking temperatures. The blaze prompted authorities to issue smartphone alerts instructing 14,000 residents to remain indoors, an order lifted hours later as crews gained control.
The tragedy unfolded during a relentless European heatwave pushing thermometers above 40°C (104°F) across southern Europe. Spain’s national meteorological service confirmed June 2025 as the hottest on record, with Seville reaching 42°C (107.6°F) and Portugal’s Mora hitting 46.6°C (116°F).
Italy placed 21 cities under red alerts, banning outdoor work during peak hours in Lazio, Tuscany, and Calabria, while Greek firefighters evacuated communities near Athens’ Temple of Poseidon earlier last week.
Climate scientists directly linked the wildfire’s intensity to an “unusually dry winter” reducing soil moisture and creating tinder-like conditions. Teresa Ribera, Spain’s environment minister, noted that such “out-of-season fires” reflect broader climate shifts.
Summer is getting longer, it is arriving earlier, and the availability of water and humidity in the soil is unfortunately being reduced, making us much more vulnerable.
Despite deploying 500 firefighters supported by aircraft, authorities struggled against gusts and “practically summertime temperatures” accelerating the blaze. Health officials across affected countries issued urgent advisories, cautioning vulnerable populations against daytime activity and emphasising hydration.
