Temperatures are forecast to be between 5C to 10C above seasonal norms, with Spain's Aemet weather agency warning it was "likely that the heatwave lasts long and persists till at least next Sunday".

Parts of Extremadura in western Spain and Andalucia in the south faced potential temperatures of up to 42C, while Portugal extended a wildfire alert till Thursday as firefighters battled a spate of blazes.

Spanish firefighters meanwhile were working to control a fire which had already ravaged around 570 hectares (1,400 acres) near the northwestern town of Vilardevos.

Fires have burnt more than 25,700 hectares of Portugal since the beginning of 2025, according to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS).

Scientists have long warned that climate change driven by humanity's burning of fossil fuels is making extreme weather events such as heatwaves more likely and more intense.

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