Wildfires Burn More Than 17,000 Hectares in France, Spain and Portugal

Wildfires have burned more than 17,000 hectares across France, Spain and Portugal. A fast-moving fire broke out near Thessaloniki, Greece, on Saturday evening. Residents of Anthoupoli, Filothei and Galini received evacuation texts.

Greek firefighters deployed 115 personnel and 38 engines. Several businesses were damaged, though homes remained intact. A 76-year-old man was arrested overnight on suspicion of starting the blaze. In Spain a fire near the Costa Brava coast burned more than 2,200 hectares in two days.

The La Bisbal d'Empordà blaze was stabilised after damaging the Gavarres protected area. Regional president Salvador Illa said a man had been detained in connection with the fire. Nearly 600 firefighters battled a blaze that consumed more than 1,000 hectares near Trevillach in southern France.

Another 300 fought a fire in the Drôme department. Portuguese emergency services brought 80 percent of a 13,000-hectare fire in the north under control. Several regions in Portugal, Spain and southern France raised heat alerts on Sunday.

Temperatures were forecast to reach 40 °C in parts of those countries. Forecasters said the heatwave would shift northward on Monday and could persist through the weekend. France recorded more than 2,000 excess deaths in one week after a June heatwave.

Spain and Belgium each reported more than 1,000 excess deaths. "Climate change is here, we are living the consequences and it is only the start of July," said Colonel Eric Belgioino of the French fire service. The World Weather Attribution group stated that heatwaves in May and June 2026 would have been virtually impossible without climate change.