PM: Spain's heat wave kills over 3,800 people this year

More than 3,800 people have died in Spain since the beginning of 2026 as the country endures an extreme heat wave, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said, highlighting the growing impact of climate change.

Sánchez said wildfires have also scorched about 150,000 hectares of land across Spain this year, resulting in 13 deaths, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

"The death toll from the heatwave in Spain is estimated to be more than 3,800 people," Sánchez said.

He said the effects of the climate crisis have fallen disproportionately on the most vulnerable groups, including older adults, children, people with chronic illnesses, and workers who must perform their jobs in extreme temperatures.

Spain has experienced repeated episodes of exceptionally high temperatures this year, alongside widespread wildfires fueled by hot, dry conditions.

Earlier, Spain's meteorological authorities reported that the first half of 2026 was the warmest in the country's past 65 years. June was the second-hottest June on record, surpassed only by June 2025, with the average monthly temperature standing 3.2 degrees Celsius above the long-term climate average.

By Sabina Mammadli