Prince Albert sends King Felipe message of support

Albert II, Prince of Monaco, has sent King Felipe a message of support following the devastating wildfires in Spain.

He wrote, “Your Majesty, it is with deep emotion that I learned the news of the violent fires ravaging several regions of Your Kingdom, causing significant material damage and, sadly, human losses. In these particularly painful circumstances, Princess Charlene and I wish to express to You and to the Spanish people our deepest solidarity and our most sincere compassion.

“Our thoughts are with the victims, their families, and the many injured and affected. I also salute the courage and dedication of the emergency services and the forces engaged in the fight against the flames, who are working tirelessly to protect the population. Please accept, Your Majesty, the expression of my sincere condolences and support in this painful ordeal.”

The wildfires follow a 16-day heatwave in Spain this month, which was “the most intense on record”, according to the country’s state meteorological agency (AEMET). More than 1,100 deaths in Spain have been linked to the heatwave, according to an estimate released by the Carlos III Health Institute.

“This year’s fires are basically on the same level as those we saw in 2022 and 2023,” said Marc Castellnou, the head of forestry for the Catalan regional fire department and a fire analyst at the University of Lleida. “Since 2017, we’ve seen this change towards more extreme fires … It’s nothing new – and it’s happening because climate change is bringing higher temperatures for much longer periods.”