Spain has suffered its most intense heatwave in at least 75 years, according to the national meteorological agency AEMET, which reported that the scorching 10-day spell from 8 to 17 August broke records dating back to 1950. The relentless heat, with temperatures topping 40°C across large swathes of the country, created tinderbox conditions that sparked wildfires from Galicia to Andalusia. Flames raced through parched hillsides, destroying homes, blackening farmland, and forcing thousands to flee. In the Valencia region, firefighters battled walls of flame in suffocating heat, while exhausted residents watched decades-old olive groves vanish in minutes. “It felt like the sky itself was burning,” said one villager who was evacuated overnight.

The human toll is mounting. At least several deaths have been reported, many linked to heatstroke and smoke inhalation. Hospitals also treated hundreds of people suffering from dehydration and respiratory distress. AEMET described the event as “exceptional in duration and intensity,” warning that Spain is on the frontline of Europe’s climate crisis. Scientists stress that global warming is amplifying the likelihood of such extremes: since 1970, the Iberian Peninsula has warmed at roughly twice the global average. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez pledged emergency funds and EU support for recovery, but acknowledged that “Spain must prepare for a future where summers like this may become the norm.” As firefighters continue to battle blazes, many Spaniards are left asking how long the country can withstand the escalating costs of a hotter, drier climate.