Spain swelters in first official heatwave of 2026

MADRID - Tourists and locals in Madrid struggled to cope with temperatures reaching up to 40 deg C on June 21 as the first official heatwave of 2026 set in, and the authorities warned of over-exposure to the sun and an increased risk of wildfires.

Haily San Cesario, a 22-year-old engineer visiting Madrid’s El Rastro flea market from Miami said: “I'm dressed all in white because it’s so hot, and I’m carrying my little electric fan everywhere I go.”

Aemet, the state-run weather forecaster, said 13 of Spain’s 17 regions are on orange alert for heat on June 21, while the Basque Country, in the north-west, is on red alert, the highest level. The heatwave will continue until June 25.

“The heat really is exhausting,” said Madrid resident Ana Garces, a 49-year-old social educator also visiting the market.

The head of SNCF, the French state-owned railway operator, on June 21 advised vulnerable people against taking the train during the heatwave, which on June 20 prompted a partial alcohol ban in France, nationwide warnings in Germany and the closure of a soccer fan zone in Spain.

The severe heat brought renewed concerns of its impact on people’s health, particularly the elderly. REUTERS