Europe's forests are burning during the heat waves: 1,100 excess deaths in Spain, 13 firefighters treated for burns in Greece
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A relentless heatwave sweeping across southern Europe has triggered a wave of devastating wildfires, forcing mass evacuations, claiming lives, and stretching emergency services to their limits.
Greece, Spain, Albania, Turkey, and other Mediterranean nations are grappling with one of the most intense fire seasons in recent history, as temperatures soar past 40°C and dry conditions turn landscapes into tinderboxes.
1,100 dead from heat stroke in Spain
According to the Daily Mail, Spain is experiencing its most devastating wildfire season since records began, with more than 1,100 deaths linked to the recent heatwave that has fuelled the wildfires across the country.
teh siote write that official figures from the Carlos III Health Institute show 1,149 excess deaths in Spain from August 3-18. 2025.
Spain’s Worst Fire Season on Record
Spain is enduring its most destructive wildfire season since records began, with over 382,000 hectares scorched—more than twice the size of London. In León, more than 4,000 people were evacuated overnight, and a volunteer firefighter died in the line of duty. Another fatality occurred near Madrid, where high winds drove flames dangerously close to residential areas.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez raised the national emergency level, urging citizens to exercise extreme caution. “Critical moments remain,” he said, as emergency crews continue to battle infernos across Castile and León, Galicia, and Extremadura.
Greece at the Epicenter
In Greece, more than 152 wildfires erupted within 24 hours around August 12, prompting the evacuation of thousands from the islands of Chios and Zakynthos, as well as the city of Patras, where fires tore through homes, businesses, and vehicles.
Fire brigade spokesperson Vassilis Vathrakogiannis warned of worsening conditions, noting that 4,850 firefighters are battling multiple fronts under extreme heat and wind.
Satellite data from the European Copernicus system shows that over 130,000 acres have already burned this August, surpassing the 20-year average. Rescue boats were deployed to evacuate beachgoers trapped by advancing flames, and Greece has requested aerial firefighting support from EU partners.
According to the BBC, at least three people have died in Spain, Albania and Turkey, with dozens more, inlcuding firefighters, taken to hospitals with smoke inhalation and burns.
Regional Toll and Rising Temperatures
Elsewhere, Albania reported the death of an 80-year-old man and widespread evacuations near Tirana and Korça, where buried WWII-era artillery shells exploded amid the flames. In Turkey, a forestry worker died in a fire truck accident, bringing the country’s wildfire death toll to 18 this summer.
Montenegro mourned the loss of a soldier whose water tanker overturned while battling fires near Podgorica. In Italy, heatstroke claimed the lives of two children, including a four-year-old Romanian boy in Sardinia.
France shattered temperature records at 52 weather stations on August 11, with Bordeaux hitting 41.6°C and Captieux reaching 43.1°C. Hospitals are bracing for heat-related emergencies, and the Gravelines nuclear plant was temporarily shut down due to jellyfish swarms linked to warm sea temperatures8.
Slovenia reported its warmest night ever, with temperatures not dipping below 28°C in coastal areas.
Climate Crisis Intensifies
Scientists warn that the Mediterranean is becoming a wildfire hotspot due to climate change, with summers growing hotter and drier. The EU’s Joint Research Centre reports that 440,000 hectares have burned across Europe this year—more than double the 20-year average.
As heat domes and prolonged droughts become more frequent, experts call for urgent investment in fire prevention, emergency infrastructure, and climate adaptation strategies.
“This is not just a seasonal threat,” said WWF Greece. “It’s a long-term ecological crisis.”
Read more:
https://www.outlookbusiness.com/planet/climate/southern-europe-wildfires-august-2025