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England and Spain have recorded their hottest June on record, with blistering temperatures sweeping across Europe, sparking wildfires, health alerts, and environmental concerns.
In Spain, the national weather service Aemet reported an average June temperature of 23.6°C, described as "extremely hot," surpassing typical July and August averages. Overnight into July, temperatures soared to 43°C in parts of the Iberian Peninsula, with Seville hitting 28°C and Barcelona 27°C at night. Relief is expected from Thursday, Aemet said. England saw a mean June temperature of 16.9°C, a new record for the month, according to the Met Office. The UK as a whole experienced its second-warmest June since 1884, with a mean of 15.2°C, just behind June 2023’s 15.8°C. On Tuesday, Essex recorded 33.9°C, the UK’s hottest day of 2025 so far, while Monday saw 33.1°C at Heathrow and 32.9°C at Wimbledon, marking the tennis tournament’s hottest opening day ever. Across Europe, the heatwave triggered severe impacts. Portugal hit a record-breaking 46.6°C in Mora on Sunday, the highest daily June temperature for mainland Portugal. In Turkey, wildfires forced the evacuation of over 50,000 people, primarily in Izmir, with 263 fires reported nationwide. Italy mourned two heat-related deaths, with hospital admissions in Tuscany up 20% and outdoor work banned in Lombardy during peak heat hours. France activated red alerts in 16 regions, closing 1,896 schools and colleges, while Paris Orly recorded 37.6°C, and the Eiffel Tower’s summit was closed due to extreme heat. Greece faced temperatures nearing 40°C, with wildfires destroying homes near Athens. Germany braced for potential record-breaking 38°C heat, while low Rhine River levels disrupted shipping. In the Balkans, cooling began, but wildfires persisted in Montenegro. The UN’s human rights chief, Volker Turk, highlighted the heatwave as a call for climate adaptation, warning of threats to life, health, and the environment. The UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change notes that human-caused climate change is driving more frequent and intense heatwaves. Professor Richard Allan from the University of Reading explained that rising greenhouse gas levels are intensifying heat events by drying soils and trapping heat. As temperatures continue to climb, Europe faces growing challenges from extreme weather, with experts urging action to address the root causes of climate change.
