Spain activates national heatwave emergency plan as temperatures climb above 45 °C

Spain’s Directorate-General for Civil Protection and Emergencies triggered its national heat-risk plan on the morning of 21 July after the State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) warned that a third—and potentially the most intense—heatwave of the summer will grip much of the country from Tuesday through Thursday. According to AEMET forecasts, inland Andalusia, Extremadura and the Ebro valley could see daytime highs of 45-47 °C and night-time ‘tropical’ minima above 25 °C. Red-level warnings were issued for Córdoba, Jaén and Seville, while a broad swathe of the peninsula and the Balearic Islands moved to orange alert. The agency cautioned that the heat dome may linger into the weekend if atmospheric conditions remain stagnant. The Civil Protection service urged businesses with outdoor operations—construction, logistics, agriculture and events—to modify work schedules, provide shaded rest areas and ensure unlimited access to drinking water. Employers must also brief staff on recognising heatstroke symptoms and activate protocols for vulnerable workers. Tourist boards in Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia issued parallel advisories to hotels and tour operators, recommending early-morning sightseeing slots and flexible cancellation policies. Travel infrastructure is already feeling the strain. RENFE has announced slower speed caps on several high-speed rail corridors after track temperatures exceeded safe thresholds, while Aena is supplying additional air-conditioning units to jet bridges at Madrid-Barajas and Málaga-Costa del Sol airports to protect ground crews. Health authorities in Catalonia and the Community of Madrid have extended opening hours at cooling centres often used by low-income migrants and backpackers who lack air-conditioned accommodation. For business travellers, the practical takeaway is to build contingency time into itineraries, shift meetings to early morning or late evening, and verify that accommodation and client sites are properly cooled. Insurance brokers report a spike in enquiries about ‘weather disruption’ riders, and several multinational firms with regional hubs in Spain have temporarily switched to remote-work protocols. With the European heat season lengthening year-on-year, mobility managers are being advised to integrate climate-risk triggers into travel approval workflows to avoid last-minute scrambles in the future.