Spain: 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.

According to Anadolu Agency, citing data from Spain's meteorological agency, Aagesen noted that 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 highlighted that 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 stated on social media platform Bluesky. The extreme weather conditions have contributed to one of Spain's most severe wildfire seasons in recent years.

In July, Spain 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. Concurrent wildfires in Avila, Madrid, and Toledo forced about 90,000 people to evacuate or remain indoors due to hazardous smoke. Earlier in the month, a wildfire in the southern province of Almeria resulted in the deaths of 14 people.

Spain, like much of southern Europe, has been experiencing increasingly frequent and intense heatwaves in recent years, with scientists attributing the trend to climate change. Rising temperatures and prolonged drought have increased 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.