Mediterranean Heatwave Claims Three Lives, Forces Thousands to Flee as Wildfires Rage.

A deadly heatwave has intensified wildfires across the Mediterranean, leaving at least three dead and forcing thousands from their homes. In Spain, a Romanian man in his 50s died from severe burns while trying to save horses near Madrid. In Italy, a four-year-old boy succumbed to heatstroke after being found in a car in Sardinia. In Montenegro, a soldier was killed when a firefighting tanker overturned. Fires have destroyed thousands of hectares across Spain’s Castilla y León and Galicia regions, damaging the UNESCO-listed Roman mines at Las Médulas. In Portugal, Greece, Turkey, Albania, and Croatia, blazes have consumed forests, threatened homes, and prompted large-scale evacuations. Greece reported 63 new fires in a single day, with strong winds hampering efforts on Zakynthos and Kefalonia. Authorities suspect some outbreaks were deliberately set. In Turkey’s Çanakkale province, more than 2,000 people were evacuated, and dozens treated for smoke inhalation. France and Turkey have recorded unprecedented summer heat, with parts of southern France surpassing 41°C. Scientists warn that the combination of extreme temperatures, drought, and high winds—exacerbated by climate change—is creating ideal conditions for wildfires, posing a growing threat to the region.