Intensified heatwaves in Portugal are attributed to a 40-fold increase due to global warming

Record-Breaking Wildfires and Heatwaves Ravage Iberian Peninsula

The Iberian Peninsula, home to Portugal and Spain, has been battling unprecedented wildfires and heatwaves in recent months. Last month, temperatures soared above 40 degrees Celsius, setting new records.

These extreme climate conditions have led to a devastating increase in wildfires. Spain has lost a staggering 380,000 hectares of land, a new record, due to these fires. Portugal has also been severely affected, with over 280,000 hectares burned since the beginning of the year.

The intensified climate for fires is a direct result of climate change. According to reports, conditions for fires have become 30% more intense and about 40 times more frequent due to these changes.

The decline of traditional agriculture and grazing, caused by rural exodus, has further exacerbated the situation. Less human activity means less natural vegetation control, making the lands more flammable. This lack of maintenance has left vast areas of land less used than before, increasing their flammability.

The heatwaves have been particularly intense. Spain's national weather agency AEMET has recorded 77 heatwaves since 1975, six of which were four degrees or more above the average, with five occurring since 2019. The heatwave that hit Spain for 16 days in August 2025 was the most intense on record, with average temperatures 4.6 degrees higher than previous waves.

The consequences of these wildfires and heatwaves have been severe. Thousands of people were forced to evacuate due to the fires, and an estimate by the Carlos III Health Institute suggests more than 1,100 deaths in Spain can be attributed to the August heatwave.

The wildfires have mainly occurred in northern Portugal and western and northwestern Spain. The intensity of these fires can cause them to generate their own wind, increasing the extent of the flames, explosions, and ignition of nearby fires from embers.

International assistance has been crucial in combatting these fires. Germany, France, Italy, Finland, the Netherlands, Czechia, and Slovakia have all provided aid in fighting the fires.

The organization that ranked third in terms of burned forest area in Spain at the beginning of this year was not explicitly named in the search results; however, the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS) provided estimates of over 3,900 square kilometers of nature destroyed in Spain, representing the largest destruction since 2006.

Four people died in each of the countries due to these wildfires. As the climate continues to change, it is crucial that measures are taken to mitigate the risks posed by these extreme weather events.

Intensified heatwaves in Portugal are attributed to a 40-fold increase due to global warming