• Spain experienced a 16-day heatwave dubbed the "most intense on record."
• Average temperatures were 4.6°C higher than previous records since 1975.
• More than 1,100 deaths have been linked to this heatwave.
• The heatwave exacerbated conditions leading to significant wildfires throughout Spain.
• Firefighters received assistance from multiple European countries amid escalating wildfire threats.

Spain's State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) has declared the recent 16-day heatwave, which lasted from August 3 to August 18, as "the most intense on record." This heatwave surpassed the previous record set in July 2022, with provisional readings reflecting an average temperature that was 4.6°C higher than prior occurrences, highlighting the alarming trend in extreme weather events due to climate change, according to Channel News Asia and Le Monde.

The heatwave's brutal conditions have aggravated already severe tinderbox scenarios in various regions, fueling wildfires that have caused significant destruction in northern and western Spain. More than 1,100 deaths have been attributed to this disaster, as noted by the Carlos III Health Institute, according to Al Jazeera, Channel News Asia, and Le Monde.

According to AEMET, each summer shows a clear trend toward more extreme temperatures, with four of the five hottest heatwaves in Spain occurring since 2019. Firefighters in Spain have struggled against significant wildfires that necessitated assistance from thousands of troops and emergency resources from various European nations, highlighting the international concern regarding the ongoing climate crisis, as reported by Channel News Asia, Le Monde, and Al Jazeera.