In recent times, countries on the Iberian Peninsula and the Balkan Peninsula are not only dealing with scorching heat waves but also multiple wildfires. The UNESCO World Heritage Site in Spain, Las Médulas, an important Roman gold mining site, is currently under threat from wildfires. In just three days, the region has seen 13 fires, forcing thousands of people to evacuate their homes.
According to Spanish firefighters, the extreme heat, dry conditions, and constantly changing winds have made firefighting efforts even more challenging.
This wave of heat sweeping across Europe has led meteorological agencies in France, Italy, and even as far as Albania to issue red heat warnings. The heat has spread northwards all the way to the United Kingdom. On Monday, the French meteorological department placed 12 provinces in the southwest under the highest level of “red heat warning,” with an additional 41 provinces under orange alert. The heatwave, originating from the south, has gradually spread to two-thirds of the country since last Friday.
The French Meteorological Office has warned that this will be a “brief but extremely intense” heat peak, with temperatures in some areas expected to “frequently exceed” 40 degrees Celsius, potentially breaking historical records.
On Monday, Italy’s Health Ministry issued red heat warnings for seven major cities in the country, with 11 cities expected to be under red alert on Tuesday and expanding to 16 cities on Wednesday.
Several countries in the western Balkans have also issued red heat warnings. In southern Bosnia, Montenegro, and parts of Albania, temperatures have reached up to 41 degrees Celsius. The Albanian Ministry of Defense announced that as of Monday, around 800 soldiers were deployed to assist firefighters, as the country still has 14 fire areas burning.
Meanwhile, severe wildfires broke out on the outskirts of the Montenegrin capital on Monday. A large number of firefighters were dispatched to the scene to help contain the fires, but due to the severity of the situation, Montenegrin authorities have even requested assistance from neighboring countries.