In Italy, authorities paid tribute to a firefighter who died while battling a forest fire in San Cataldo, while Sicily’s regional director Renato Schifani wished a “speedy recovery” to another firefighter involved in the same operation.
Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi paid tribute to the late firefighter Alessandro Marchi, who he said died “at the service of the community.”
In an update on Wednesday, the head of Sicily’s civil protection agency Salvo Cocina said there had been more than 350 fires on the island, including 10 large ones, which had prompted precautionary evacuations.
He said the fires had human causes, adding that firefighting had become a social and public order problem.
Meanwhile, in Spain, residents have begun returning to their homes after wildfires broke out in the village of Almorox, near Toledo, south of Madrid. Authorities said the fires were not yet under control and about 890 hectares (2,200 acres) had burned, although ongoing work meant the fire had not grown in scope.
Temperatures of at least 42C have been recorded in parts of Spain and the country’s biggest wildfire so far this year occurred this week north of the capital in the Guadalajara region.
More than 35,000 hectares have burned, leaving behind grim images of destroyed landscapes. However, authorities there say residents can now return to their homes.
According to data from the European Forest Fire Information System, there have already been more fires in Spain this year than in all of 2025.
Countries across Europe have experienced record temperatures in recent months.
A report published in April by the Copernicus Climate Change Service concluded that at least 95% of Europe would experience “above average” annual temperatures by 2025, calling Europe the fastest warming continent.
Area burned by wildfires and fire emissions both reached record levels last year, the report said.
