(MENAFN) Spain began to experience a downturn in scorching temperatures that soared to 44°C (111°F) earlier this week, but the wildfire threat remains critical, with 21 active blazes still burning across multiple regions, according to media.

Despite the easing heat, the Interior Ministry confirmed that 21 level two wildfires — deemed serious enough to require coordinated emergency response — continue to affect several autonomous communities.

After the State Coordination Committee (CECODE) convened to address wildfire response, Interior Ministry Undersecretary Susana Crisostomo underscored the ongoing danger, noting that areas like Extremadura and the southeast remain at high risk due to wind conditions that could further aggravate the fires.

More than 33,750 residents have been displaced by the fires, she said.

While visiting the charred municipality of Jarilla in Cáceres province — where approximately 15,000 hectares have been destroyed — Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez pledged support for affected areas. “The government will declare fire-hit regions disaster zones next Tuesday,” he stated.

The wildfire crisis has triggered a crackdown on arson and negligence. Since June 1, authorities have made 32 arrests and placed 93 individuals under investigation, the Interior Ministry reported.

Citing data from the EU Copernicus Climate Change Service, El Pais revealed that wildfires have scorched more than 375,000 hectares (926,644 acres) of land across Spain so far this year — a dramatic toll amid a summer marked by extreme weather.

Neighboring Portugal continues to battle its own wildfire emergency. According to the Portuguese daily Diario De Noticias, authorities in Seia, located in the Guarda district, are struggling to contain fires due to insufficient aerial firefighting assets. Two arrests have been made in Vila Real on suspicion of arson.

In France, a wildfire spanning 130 hectares (321 acres) ignited Monday evening in the Var department, officials said on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. The blaze was swiftly brought under control, the prefecture confirmed.

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