Europe Heat Wave: Tourist Death and Wildfires Spark Travel Warnings

Skift

19 hours ago

It's too early to say how much extreme heat will disrupt early summer travel in the region, but the season has kicked off with a stark reminder: It is now part of the holiday landscape in southern Europe.
Authorities in the United Kingdom, Germany, Sweden, Norway, and Austria have issued heat-related travel advisories for popular tourist destinations in southern Europe.
A dangerous heat wave is sweeping across many Mediterranean countries, with some areas already experiencing temperatures of 42°C (107.6°F). In Majorca, a tourist has died, and wildfires have prompted evacuations in France.
The extreme heat is the latest example of how Europe, the fastest-warming continent, is experiencing the intensifying effects of the climate crisis. While it is difficult to directly attribute individual extreme weather events to climate change, heat waves are becoming more frequent and more intense as the planet warms.
Scientists at World Weather Attribution, a group that analyzes the impact of climate change on extreme weather, say that June heat waves with three consecutive days above 28°C (82.4°F) are now about 10 times more likely compared to pre-industrial times.
Skift has been reporting how extreme heat is upending local tourism, from the Greek islands to southern Spain.
Warnings from the North
Germany has issued warnings for travelers heading to Croatia, Spain, and Portugal, urging serious precautions.
'Extremely high temperatures are expected. Protect yourself, children, and senior citizens. Follow advice provided by relevant authorities. Infrastructure failures are possible,' the German government's weather said in its advisory for Croatia.
Sweden warned about Spain's high temperatures and the potential for wildfires.
'A severe heat wave is expected to hit large parts of the country. In some places, temperatures will exceed 40 degrees,' the Swedish foreign ministry said. 'Consider how you would describe your location if you need to raise the alarm due to a forest fire,' the ministry said, in a message to tourists traveling to Spain and staying close to forests and woodlands.
Fatal Heat and Wildfires
In Spain, local media reported that a 34-year-old Dutch tourist died from heatstroke on Friday while hiking the Camí de Son Sales trail near Sóller in Majorca.
Emergency services were called at around 2:50 p.m., but despite efforts to revive him, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
In France, wildfires forced the evacuation of a campsite in the Corbières area of Aude, in the southwest of the country, during a heat spike that reached 40°C, according to reports.
Meteo France, the national weather service, said it was unclear what happened to the campers after the evacuation.
Health Alerts and Safety Advice
Governments across Europe have issued health alerts, particularly targeting vulnerable groups such as older adults, pregnant women, and people with pre-existing health conditions.
Madrid's health ministry urged residents and visitors to stay in the shade, remain hydrated, and avoid outdoor activities during the hottest parts of the day.
Spain's state meteorological agency, Aemet, emphasized the severity of the ongoing heat wave. 'We are expecting abnormally high and persistent temperatures, both day and night, which could pose risks to vulnerable or exposed individuals,' Aemet said.
Heat-related deaths have sharply increased across Europe in recent years, driven by rising baseline temperatures and more frequent extreme heat events.
The World Health Organization estimates that 175,000 people die from heat-related causes in Europe each year, a figure expected to rise as global temperatures continue to climb.
'In the European region, heat stress is the leading cause of climate-related death,' said Dr. Hans Kluge, the WHO's regional director.
Skift's in-depth reporting on climate issues is made possible through the financial support of Intrepid Travel. This backing allows Skift to bring you high-quality journalism on one of the most important topics facing our planet today. Intrepid is not involved in any decisions made by Skift's editorial team.