Extreme heatwaves cause wildfires in Europe, WWF warns of climate crisis

Extreme heatwaves are driving a wave of wildfires across Europe, with Spain and France among the worst affected. Spain has declared a national emergency in two regions, including Madrid, as blazes rage out of control. In France, President Macron has called for the activation of an EU civil protection mechanism to tackle forest fires in the southwest, where military vehicles and helicopters have been deployed. More than 20,000 residents and tourists have been evacuated from the Gironde region, and over 3,000 hectares of forest, farmland and vineyards have been burnt. A separate fire in the south of France has flared up again as the country faces its third heatwave of the summer. Firefighters are also battling blazes in Italy. In northern Spain, the Aragon region has seen more than 12,000 hectares destroyed. The heat is also taking a toll on wildlife. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has warned that the climate crisis is pushing animals beyond their limits. Even camels, known for their resilience in hot, dry conditions, are suffering. Herders in North Africa and the Horn of Africa report camels with blisters on their hooves, skin burned by hot sand, and signs of stress, fatigue and dehydration. The WWF's senior director of wildlife, climate and resistance, Nikhil Advani, said the world may be entering a 'super El Nino' phase, with extreme heat events becoming more frequent. He noted that animals in already hot regions, such as sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, are crossing physiological limits, with cases of howler monkeys and flying foxes dying from heat and dehydration. At the poles, melting sea ice is threatening polar bears and emperor penguin colonies. Advani stressed that reducing carbon emissions is the single most important step, but even if emissions stopped overnight, decades of warming are already locked in. He called for adaptation measures, such as providing shade and water in backyards, to help wildlife cope with extreme heat.