Spain clings to ‘extremely severe’ heat wave

The Spanish government activated its national emergency plan for extreme temperatures Thursday night, after the meteorological agency AEMET warned of “one of the hottest areas in the country in the recent past”. According to the agency, dry air with sand from the Sahara desert and “exceptionally warm air” flow into Europe from Africa.

“The latest meteorological models indicate a heat wave of unusual intensity,” said AEMET spokesman Ruben del Campo. “For Spain as a whole, it could be the hottest May heat wave in the last 20 years.”

According to del Campo, there is a “high risk” of wildfires, and the probability of a new dust cloud emerging with desert sand is high. The Spanish government requires people to adequately hydrate, wear light clothing, and look after children, pregnant women, the sick and the elderly.