Spain endures hottest, driest start to summer on record

Spain has recorded its hottest and driest summer on record so far, with June and July averaging nearly 3C (5.4F) above normal and rainfall reaching its lowest level since records began, Environment Minister Sara Aagesen said Tuesday.

Citing data from Spain's meteorological agency, Aagesen said June and July were 2.9C (5.2F) warmer than the 1991-2020 average, surpassing the previous heat record for the two-month period by more than 0.7C (1.3F).

She also said Spain has experienced its driest June-July period since record-keeping began in 1961, with far fewer storms than usual.

"Nine of the 10 warmest June-July periods on record have occurred in the 21st century, and the five hottest have all been recorded since 2015," Aagesen said on social media platform Bluesky.

The extreme weather has fueled one of Spain's worst wildfire seasons in recent years.

In July, the country recorded its largest wildfire on record, with more than 50,000 hectares (123,500 acres) burned in five days in the central province of Avila. Simultaneous wildfires in Avila, Madrid and Toledo forced about 90,000 people to evacuate or remain indoors because of hazardous smoke.

Earlier in the month, a wildfire in the southern province of Almeria killed 14 people.

Spain, like much of southern Europe, has experienced increasingly frequent and intense heatwaves in recent years, with scientists linking the trend to climate change. Rising temperatures and prolonged drought have heightened wildfire risks across the Mediterranean region.

Aagesen called for a united political response to the climate crisis, urging authorities to strengthen coordination while addressing its underlying causes.