Northwest Spain Suffers Fires Amid Deadly Heat

The heatwaves that have hit Spain had a devastating impact: the most recent one, in particular—the longest, recorded from August 3 to 18—was also the deadliest, with 1,149 deaths attributed to the scorching temperatures, which reached 45°C in the south of the country, CE Report quotes ANSA.

According to estimates from the Daily Mortality Monitoring System (MoMo), managed by the National Center for Epidemiology of the Carlos III Health Institute, there have been 2,635 heatwave-related deaths since the beginning of the summer season—a 40% increase compared to the same period in 2024.

Although MoMo cannot definitively establish a causal link, it provides reliable estimates of excess mortality compared to historical expectations, by cross-referencing daily death data with temperatures provided by the Spanish National Meteorological Agency (Aemet).

The most concerning figure involves the vulnerable population: nearly all victims (2,529) were over 65 years old, especially those over 75, whose pre-existing conditions—such as respiratory or heart diseases—were likely worsened by the extreme heat.

However, the heat also caused direct deaths.

At least 23 people died from heatstroke—a number already higher than the direct heat-related deaths recorded during the last two summers.

In addition to the loss of life, the scorching temperatures made firefighting operations even more difficult for firefighters and military personnel battling wildfires raging in northwestern Spain since August 3. A climate reprieve forecast by Aemet starting today is hoped to bring relief, as lower temperatures and rainfall in the north could help ease the emergency on all fronts.