(MENAFN) Southern Europe faced another day of scorching heat and destructive wildfires on Tuesday, as authorities issued top-level weather warnings and mobilized emergency services across multiple countries.

In France, the national weather agency placed 14 southern departments under a red alert until Wednesday, warning that temperatures could climb as high as 42°C (107.6°F). While the heatwave is forecast to persist for several days, the risk of new and spreading wildfires also remains high.

Spain has been dealing with numerous active blazes, destroying thousands of hectares and forcing many residents—particularly in Castile, Leon, Cadiz, and northern Madrid suburbs—to spend the night away from their homes. A fire in one Madrid-area municipality claimed one life and consumed about 1,000 hectares (2,471 acres) before being brought under control. The Interior Ministry has activated its pre-emergency plan due to the severity of the situation. The national meteorological service has also issued a red alert, warning that some areas could see temperatures of up to 44°C (111°F).

In neighboring Portugal, more than 1,700 firefighters were deployed on Tuesday to combat four separate wildfires burning across the country. The Portuguese weather authority has extended its orange heat alert through Thursday, with some regions expected to match Spain’s extreme highs of 44°C (111°F). Since the start of 2025, wildfires have scorched about 42,000 hectares in Portugal—roughly five times the size of Lisbon.

MENAFN13082025000045017281ID1109921566