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WEATHER

Spain roasts in worst June heatwave in 20 years

Spain was grappling Tuesday with a second unusually early heatwave in less than a month as temperatures hit levels normally seen in July and August, while France began preparing for similar conditions.

Published: 14 June 2022 18:02 CEST
SPAIN-WEATHER-HEAT
"It is not normal to have such an extreme heatwave at this time of the year," AEMET spokesman Ruben del Campo said. (Photo by JAIME REINA / AFP)

Temperatures passed 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) in large parts of Spain, significantly higher than normal for this time of year.

Fifteen out of Spain’s 17 regions were on alert for very high temperatures, with only the Canary Islands and Asturias being spared.

Officials advised people to drink plenty of fluids and stay indoors or in the shade as much as possible.

“This early, record-breaking heatwave, coming on top of another heatwave less than a month ago… is extraordinarily worrying,” said Spain’s minister for ecological transition, Teresa Ribera.

Temperatures were expected to hit 43C in Córdoba in the south, 41C in Badajoz in the west and 40C in Toledo in the centre, according to meteorological agency AEMET.

On Monday the highest temperature recorded was 42.9C in the southern town of Montoro, near Córdoba.

AEMET described the risk of wildfires as “extreme” across Spain except for the northern region of Asturias and the Canary Islands in the Atlantic.

The heatwave began at the weekend and is expected to persist until at least Saturday, with temperatures between 7C and 12C higher than the average for this time of the year, said AEMET.

“It is not normal to have such an extreme heatwave at this time of the year,” AEMET spokesman Ruben del Campo said.

It’s the earliest heatwave since there are records – together with another one in 1981 – and “it’s the most intense heatwave in mid-June in the last 20 years”, del Campo added.

The extreme weather, which arrived on a wave of hot air from north Africa, is headed for southwest France.

National forecaster Meteo France has warned of peak temperatures of more than 40C in the south-west between Thursday and Saturday, with the whole country set to experience a hotter-than-usual spell.

French government spokesperson Olivia Gregoire called for vigilance, warning that the elderly, people living alone and the homeless were particularly at risk.

Spain grappled with a heatwave at the end of May, with temperatures up to 15C above the seasonal average.

Last month was Spain’s hottest May since the beginning of the century.   

Heatwaves have become more likely due to climate change, scientists say, and are predicted to become more intense and widespread as global temperatures rise.

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WILDFIRES

IN MAPS: How big is the current wildfire risk in Sweden?

There's currently a risk of wildfires throughout almost all of Sweden, with the threat of forest fires in southern and central parts of the country, and grass fires in the north, forecaster SMHI has warned.

Published: 23 May 2024 11:50 CEST
IN MAPS: How big is the current wildfire risk in Sweden?

How dry are Sweden’s forests?

On May 23rd, large areas south of Gävle were rated as “dry” in the map below, prepared by Sweden’s state-run surveyor Lantmäteriet for the state meteorologist SMHI and the Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB).

The map, captured just before noon on May 23rd, shows the bränsleuttorkning, or fuel dryness, an estimate of how much dry, burnable leaves and branches are on forest floors in Sweden. 

The colour code ranges from dark blue (very wet) to red (extremely dry). The dryest areas on this map, in orange, are listed as 4 on a six point scale (dry). Yellow areas are listed as 3 (moderately wet).

You can find an interactive version of the map here.

The assessment of the amount of dry wood in Sweden’s forests on May 23rd. Graphic: Lantmäteriet/SMHI

The surveyor also prepares a second map for SMHI and MSB showing the risk of forest fire assessed using the FWI (Fire Weather Index), an index created in Canada which combines measures of air humidity, temperature, 24-hour precipitation and wind speed. 

This shows that a lot of areas are already at an “extremely high risk of a forest fire” (red), a “very high risk” (dark orange) or “at risk” (orange). 

The Fire Weather Index map for Sweden on May 23rd. Graphic: Lantmäteriet

There is also a large or very large risk of grass fires on May 23rd in the north of Sweden, particularly north of Umeå and along the border with Norway. The green areas are where the grass fire season has already ended. Yellow areas have a “moderate risk”, light orange have a “high risk” and dark orange have a “very high risk” of grass fires. Light grey areas, which are mainly in mountain regions, are still covered in snow.

Grass fire risk for the afternoon of May 23rd. Graphic: Lantmäteriet

What measures are in place in Sweden?

Many municipalities in Skåne, Blekinge and Småland have already put fire bans in place, preventing people from lighting fires or barbecues outside. 

A map by Krisinformation.se (an official website which publishes emergency information from Swedish authorities), which can be found in English, shows which parts of Sweden have a fire ban in place, but it doesn’t go into specifics.

Below are the municipalities with fire bans in place on May 23rd – be aware that this may change, and always make sure to check Krisinformation.se’s website for the most up to date information before planning a barbecue or similar.

To find out exactly what applies in your area, click on your municipality on the map on Krisinformation.se’s website and then “more info”.

The link will take you to the homepage of whoever issued the fire ban, but it usually doesn’t take you directly to an explanation of what fire rules currently apply there, so you have to do a bit of digging.

Most municipalities and county administrative boards publish current fire bans quite prominently on their websites, though, sometimes as a banner at the top.

Some publish the information in English, but that’s far from always the case, so if you don’t speak Swedish you may have to run the text through a translation tool.

What other precautions can you take to avoid the risks?

Bear in mind that even if you do comply with local fire rules to the letter, you are always responsible for what happens to any fire you light, so you need to take proper precautions and be confident that there’s no risk of it spreading.

READ ALSO: EXPLAINED – What do Sweden’s fire bans mean?

Make sure the grill is set up on a flat surface away from any grass, trees, sheds or anything else that could catch fire easily. Keep a bucket of water nearby, never leave the fire unattended, and make sure it’s completely extinguished before you leave.

It’s worth also consulting weather agency SMHI’s map of the risk of wildfires, which is separate from the map of fire bans. If you live in an area where there’s currently a high risk of wildfires, be extra careful before lighting a fire, even if there aren’t any official bans in place.

You could also download the Swedish Civil Contingencies’ free app Brandrisk ute (“Fire Danger Outdoors”), which will give you up-to-date information in English on the risk of wildfires in your area. It’s available both for iPhone and Android.

Is there a risk of water shortages? 

In many parts of the northernmost half of the country, the opposite is the case – ground water levels in small watercourses across much of Sweden north of Gävle are high or unusually high compared to the average level in 1961 to 2023 (light green, green and dark green in map below). In central Sweden, they are high or relatively high, while they are at normal levels in the south, apart from the border between Halland and Småland, where they are relatively low.

Ground water levels in small watercourses are currently high or very high compared to the average level in 1961 to 2023 (light green, green and dark green in map to the left) in most of northern Sweden, at about normal levels (light blue) across most of central Sweden, and low in the south of Västra Götaland, Halland, Småland, parts of Blekinge and Skane. 

Groundwater levels in Sweden on May 21st, 2024, compared to the average for the period 1961-2023. Graphic: Geological Survey of Sweden

Comparing groundwater water levels to the same week in 1961 to 2023, it’s normal (green on the map below) above normal (light blue) or far above normal (dark blue) across the vast majority of the country, apart from a pocket in Småland, where it is below normal (yellow) or far below normal (red), so it doesn’t look like there is currently a risk of drought or water shortages.

Water levels in small watercourses on May 21st, 2024 compared with the same week in 1961-2023. Graphic: Geological Survey of Sweden
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