AEMET

Spaniards are preparing for a rare total solar eclipse across northern and central Spain, an event expected to draw millions of visitors. Due to scorching temperatures and the high risk of wildfires, Spanish authorities have rolled out major public safety campaigns. The Interior Ministry has established 350 official viewing sites in rural areas while deploying over 33,500 law enforcement officers.

Firefighters in southwest France are battling a massive blaze four times the size of Paris amid extreme temperatures exceeding 40°C, displacing 220,000 people. Similar wildfires and heatwaves in Spain and the UK have led to widespread evacuations, with Spain preparing for its fourth heatwave of the summer.

Spain is racing to contain wildfires before worsening weather conditions, with 60,000 people displaced and homes destroyed. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez urged citizens to exercise extreme caution as a new heatwave threatens to intensify the crisis. Authorities report slight progress in controlling fires west of Madrid, but rising temperatures and high fire risk are expected to complicate efforts.

Spain recorded 1,029 excess deaths in June linked to a heatwave, making it the second-hottest June on record with temperatures exceeding 40°C. The Health Ministry's MoMo system reported the highest heat-related deaths since 2015, while weather agency AEMET noted average temperatures 3.2°C above normal.