The situation was particularly bad in Zamora, near the border with Portugal, and in Ávila, north-west of Madrid. In these two provinces, around 10,000 people from about 50 villages had to be brought to safety from the flames since Sunday.
In Zamora, two people were killed and at least 15 injured, while 30,000 hectares of forest were burnt to the ground.
Since the beginning of the year, flames have already destroyed more than 100,000 hectares in Spain, which is almost 13,000 hectares more than in the entire 2021, according to RTVE.
Strong winds fanned a small fire in north-eastern Athens into a major blaze on Tuesday evening. Thick brownish plumes of smoke could be seen from almost all regions of Athens. The situation was "serious," the regional governor, Giorgos Patoulis, told state radio.
Residents of the affected regions received a message by text message to be ready to leave their homes if ordered to do so by the fire brigade. One village had already been evacuated because the flames were approaching threateningly, state television reported.
Huge fires had broken out in the region below Mount Penteli in north-eastern Athens in the summer of 2021, destroying vast areas of forest and scrubland. "Eleven fire-fighting planes and six helicopters" are in action, a spokesman for the fire brigade told state radio. In addition to Greek firefighters, firefighters from Romania were also deployed, he said.
Germany, meanwhile, is expecting potentially record-breaking temperatures on Tuesday, as 10 of Germany's 16 states raised their forest fire alarm to its highest level.
In Britain, temperatures have reached 40 degrees Celsius for the first time on record, with 40.2 degrees provisionally recorded at London's Heathrow Airport, the Met Office said on Tuesday, according to PA Media.
People living in the Netherlands might get a break on Wednesday, as the weather service expects maximum temperatures of up to 30 degrees Celsius, but also heavy thunderstorms.
In Belgium, the capacity of the Doel 1 and Doel 2 nuclear reactors has been reduced owing to the heat. There are fears that the cooling water will become too warm, the Belga news agency reported, citing operators Engie.
On Tuesday, the country recorded 36.4 degrees Celsius, its fourth highest temperature since records have been kept, the KMI weather service said.
Several cars burst into flames on the Belgian coast. Five cars burnt out and five others were damaged in the dunes of the seaside resort of De Haan on Tuesday, the Belga news agency reported, citing police sources. Heat and dryness had led to a rapid spread of the fire.
However, the fire brigade had brought the blaze under control and was trying to prevent it from reigniting. VRT reported that the fire may have started in a parked car or from a discarded cigarette.
