by Billion Temesghen
BRUSSELS, July 14 (Xinhua) -- A prolonged heatwave is placing growing pressure on communities, emergency services and economies across Europe. From deadly wildfires in Spain and France to worsening drought in Italy and Hungary, the climate emergencies are highlighting mounting human, economic and environmental costs, prompting governments to strengthen both emergency response and long-term climate adaptation.
Speaking at an emergency briefing on Monday, European Commissioner for Preparedness and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib warned that Europe was entering an increasingly dangerous period.
Noting that Europe "is warming the most of all, with worrying trends," Lahbib said. "At least 3,500 fatalities could be attributed to the June heatwave alone. We've already set a record this year; we've already had heatwaves and the fire season has started earlier than usual."
Spain has suffered the deadliest wildfire so far this summer. A blaze in the southeastern province of Almeria killed 13 people, injured several others and burned about 7,000 hectares before under control. Public broadcaster RTVE said many of the victims were foreign nationals, and 10 people remain missing.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, with authorities examining whether the collapse of an electricity pole or cable may have triggered the blaze.
In France, firefighters on Tuesday finally contained two ongoing blazes in the Fontainebleau forest southeast of Paris after flames burned roughly 2,050 hectares of the UNESCO biosphere reserve.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said about 32,000 hectares had burned nationwide since the beginning of the year, already exceeding the total for all of 2025. Authorities have detained two suspects over the Fontainebleau fire, while 59 people have been detained nationwide in wildfire-related cases this year.
Elsewhere, Portugal has recorded 4,592 rural fires that burned more than 30,000 hectares by early July, nearly four times the area recorded during the same period last year. Greek firefighters have responded to dozens of blazes and evacuation orders issued in several areas as high temperatures and strong winds hampered firefighting efforts.
Even Britain feels the abnormality, with major incidents declared following wildfires in north Wales and England's Peak District after prolonged dry weather.
Dave Swallow, wildfire tactical advisor to the National Fire Chiefs Council, said Britain was starting to experience fires "more akin to the fires of Mediterranean regions." Fire service call-outs had at least doubled since the start of the summer, with crews responding to far more incidents than under normal conditions, he said.
The impact extends beyond wildfires, with water resources also coming under increasing strain.
In Portugal, thousands of residents and tourists in Almada, south of Lisbon, have faced rotating overnight water cuts after consumption reached record levels during the heatwave. Authorities also banned non-essential water use, including irrigation of gardens and golf courses, filling swimming pools and washing vehicles, while local businesses warned the restrictions were affecting peak-season tourism. Reservoirs have fallen to around 10 percent of capacity.
In northern Italy, the Po River Basin Authority warned that severe drought conditions persisted as prolonged heat and a lack of rainfall reduced river flows, threatening irrigation supplies in one of Europe's most productive agricultural regions.
In Hungary, Lake Velence has fallen to a record low of 47 centimeters after weeks of scorching temperatures and years of below-average rainfall, illustrating the mounting pressure on freshwater resources across Central Europe.
Meteorological agencies across Europe continue to warn that high temperatures, dry vegetation, and limited rainfall are creating conditions favorable for fast-moving wildfires.
France's Meteo-France described the wildfire risk as exceptional, while Britain's Met Office forecast continued hot and dry conditions. Similar warnings have been issued in Portugal and Spain.
To cope with increasingly frequent simultaneous emergencies, the European Union has strengthened cross-border wildfire preparedness through its Civil Protection Mechanism, mobilizing its largest-ever standby reserve of 22 specialized firefighting aircraft, five helicopters, and 777 firefighters from 14 nations, pre-positioned in high-risk areas.
As Europe enters the peak of the summer fire season, the combination of wildfires, drought and water shortages is underscoring the need for coordinated responses at local, national and European levels, with policymakers placing growing emphasis on prevention and climate adaptation alongside emergency response.
