UK holidaymakers have been warned to beware of 'intense' temperatures with values topping 45C in some popular resorts. The mercury reached 45.5C in Huelva area of Andalusia in Spain with highs of 45.4C in Extremadura and 43.4C near Valencia.
Spain's national AEMET weather service said parts of Extremadura, Andalusia and Galicia regions had been placed on red alert for extreme heat. Temperatures are expected to exceed the previous record of 47.4 C for all of Spain set in August 2021, and of 40.7 C in the capital Madrid.
AEMET said the scorching temperatures are being caused by an extensive and powerful Atlantic anticyclone which is centred close to the British Isles. This is creating atmospheric stability throughout Spain and, added to hot air mass from north Africa, is producing a heatwave that could be "the most potent" and "significant" in intensity and duration for July or August in Spain.
The blistering heat is predicted to continue until next week but there could be a slight cooling during the weekend with the World Meteorological Organisation warning the heatwave was spreading and intensifying in large parts of Europe.. Meanwhile, many areas in favourite holiday destinations have been placed on forest fire alert.
In Spain's western region of Extremadura bordering Portugal, firefighters battled a blaze that swept into Salamanca province in the region of Castile and Leon, burning more than 4,000 hectares. n Portugal's southern Algarve region, popular with tourists, a fire broke out in the city of Faro and spread to the Quinta do Lago luxury resort. Videos shared online showed flames edging close to villas, burning palm trees and parts of golf courses.
About half of drought-hit Portugal will remain on red alert for extreme heat conditions on Thursday, with the highest temperatures expected in the Santarem and Castelo Branco districts, the IPMA weather institute said.
Wednesday's highest temperature was registered in the central town of Lousa at 46.3C (115F), one degree below a 2003 record.
More than 2,700 hectares have burned so far in France's Gironde region. The biggest of the two fires is around the town of Landiras, south of Bordeaux, where roads have been closed and 500 residents evacuated.
The other one is along the Atlantic Coast, close to the iconic "Dune du Pilat" - the tallest sand dune in Europe - located in the Arcachon Bay area, above which heavy clouds of dark smoke were seen rising in the sky. The blaze led to the preventive evacuation of 6,000 people from five surrounding campsites.
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