Brits issued Spain holiday warning as 30 regions under 40C heatwave alert

21 August 2023 , 07:12

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A firefighter takes a break from the heat while extinguishing a blaze in Spain (Image: Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Holidaymakers heading to Spain have been issued an urgent warning with a heat map having turned amber as 40C temperatures are set to blanket the country.

The country's state weather service has issued a "special notice" for rising heat until the middle of the week, with more than 30 regions of Spain under orange weather warnings by tomorrow. A number of yellow warnings are also in place across much of the mainland, the Balearic Islands and the Canaries.

The mercury is set to be highest in the Cadiz, Cordoba, Huelva and Seville regions at 40C. Huesca and Zaragoza are also expected to hit 39C. UK Foreign Office officials continue to warn Brits travelling on their holidays over the "extreme" heat in Spain. They advise holidaymakers to check with their travel provider before travelling and follow the advice of local authorities at all times.

30 areas have been issued the heat warning in Spain (AEMET)

The "special notice" issued by Spain's weather service adds: "In the coming days there will be a progressive rise in temperatures in much of the Peninsula and the Balearic Islands. Monday and Tuesday will be the peak days of this episode. It is probable that 40C will be reached or exceeded in large areas of the southwestern and northeastern quadrants of the peninsula."

Meanwhile, the Canary Islands regional President Fernando Clavijo said yesterday that police have confirmed that a wildfire raging on the Spanish tourist island of Tenerife was started deliberately. Clavijo said police had opened three lines of investigation but did not say if there had been any arrests. Improved weather conditions helped firefighters make advances overnight in their battle to tame the blaze that has raged out of control for the past five days, authorities said Sunday.

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The Canary Islands have been in drought for most of the past few years, like most of mainland Spain. The islands have recorded below-average rainfall in recent years because of changing weather patterns impacted by climate change. The fire, described as the worst in Tenerife in decades, is threatening 11 town areas flanking a steep and craggy mountain area. Access for firefighters is extremely difficult.

The emergency services said air quality in 19 town areas was not good and urged people to stay indoors when possible and wear masks outdoors. More than 400 firefighters and soldiers have been deployed, as well as 23 water-carrying helicopters and planes. According to the European Forest Fire Information System, Spain heads the list of EU countries affected by wildfires so far this year, with 185,000 acres burned, ahead of Italy and Greece.

More than 2,000 people were evacuated from a fire in Spain last month that affected some 11,000 acres. And the country accounted for almost 40% of the nearly 2 million acres burned in the European Union in 2022, the EU agency said.

Rachel Hagan