Spain and Portugal braced on Sunday for a fresh heatwave expected to sweep across the Iberian Peninsula, with Lisbon warning of a very high wildfire risk.
Weather forecasts indicated temperatures would range from 5°C to 10°C above the seasonal average. Spain’s Aemet weather agency cautioned that the heatwave was “likely to last long and continue at least until next Sunday”.
In Spain, regions such as Extremadura in the west and Andalucia in the south could see temperatures soar as high as 42°C. Meanwhile, Portugal extended its wildfire alert until Thursday, as firefighters tackled numerous blazes across the country.
Spanish firefighters worked to contain a blaze near Vilardevos in the northwest, which had already scorched roughly 570 hectares (1,400 acres).
According to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS), fires have destroyed more than 25,700 hectares of land in Portugal since the start of 2025.
Scientists have repeatedly warned that climate change—fuelled by the continued burning of fossil fuels—is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, including heatwaves.