A powerful heat wave is sweeping the Iberian Peninsula, with Spanish and Portuguese authorities warning of extreme temperatures and heightened wildfire danger throughout the week. Spain’s State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) reported a national high of 43.4 °C in Badajoz on Sunday and said readings could approach 45 °C in parts of the country in the coming days. Portugal has responded by declaring a nationwide fire alert from Sunday through Thursday. The order, issued by the Ministry of Internal Administration, places the North, Centre and Algarve regions on maximum warning, bans agricultural burning and fireworks, restricts access to forests and calls for stepped-up patrols by firefighters and police. In Spain, seven monitoring stations registered temperatures above 42 °C, while gusty winds topping 80 km per hour in Almería and other coastal areas add to the risk of fast-moving blazes. No significant rainfall is forecast, and authorities in both countries have urged residents and tourists to limit outdoor activity during the hottest hours. Meteorologists say a “heat dome” is likely to expand northward, nudging French temperatures toward 40 °C later in the week. Tour operators already report a shift in bookings from the peak summer period to September and October as travelers seek to avoid intensifying Mediterranean heat waves.