A cloud of smoke covers this Sunday west and southwest of France Sunday. He will cross the Gulf of Gascogne to extend from the Southwest to Brittany and Normandy, giving the sky a gray-yellow or orange shade in places. This phenomenon is explained by the smoke which goes up fires in Spain and Portugal, mixed with the Saharan dust.
This morning, the plume of fumes that goes up Iberian fires is particularly thick (in grazing light, at sunrise). There is also dust from the Sahara. pic.twitter.com/SrqJDBbGAr
– Guillaume Séchet (@meteovilles) August 17, 2025
A spectacular sky
The unusual shade of the sky results from the combination of two phenomena. First, the presence of fire fumes accentuates certain contrasts, especially when the sun is low on the horizon. Normally, light crosses the atmosphere without encountering large particles and the colors remain balanced. But the particles from the fires are larger than those of the air: they disperse more the short wavelengths, like blue, leaving the red and orange tones predominating.
For its part, the dust of the Sahara filters in a similar way the short wavelengths, such as blue and purple, letting pass the longer longer wavelengths like red and orange. Illustrative of this phenomenon, Météo Pyrénées published on its X account a photo of the Col du Tourmalet, covered at 2,100 meters above sea level in an orange veil. The account specifies that this phenomenon is due to fires with our neighbors in the south.
Spectacular orange sky this morning Tourmalet sector and elsewhere with the fumes of Spanish and Portuguese fires at altitude pic.twitter.com/1OxvsfNuhH
– Pyrenees weather (@meteo_pyrenees) August 17, 2025
Smoke that comes from the Iberian Peninsula
In Portugal, the authorities report around twenty households still active. 3,200 firefighters, forest sappers and military are mobilized to try to contain the 9 major fires, especially in the north and northeast of the country. Nearly 140,000 hectares have been burned so far, 17 times more than during the same period in 2024. Almost half of this area was consumed in just two days this week, pushing the Portuguese government to request European aid.
Devastating fires
In Spain, 25 fires broke out in the northwest and west. The lights have moved nearly 4,000 people so far. According to the latest figures, more than 158,000 hectares have already burned since the start of the year, the equivalent of the area of London. Several provinces, including Galicia and Castile-et-Léon, remain on a high alert.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is expected to go to the most affected regions on Sunday. Fire control operations are supported by the Spanish military unit (UME) and planes provided by the European Union.
A rise to northern Europe
The Spanish Meteorological Institute published on X satellite images showing the progression of smoke towards France.
Brutal current image of the Iberian Peninsula, with northern Portugal and northwest of Spain burning without control. An indefinite amount of fires are forming a huge trail of smoke that will affect the entire west of Europe the next few days. This is going to be hard🙏🏼 pic.twitter.com/b9h67nMd7G
– Meteoiberia.es (@meteoiberiaes) August 15, 2025
According to the United Kingdom Meteorological Service, the Office, the smoke even reached the United Kingdom. The service warns that the situation could persist for several days before lesing at the start of next week.
Noticed the sky isn’t as blue today?
Smoke from wildfires in Spain & Portugal, plus Saharan dust, has drifted over the UK
Expect enhanced sunsets & sunrises in the coming days — deeper reds & oranges thanks to light scattering 🔥🌄 pic.twitter.com/D7AFXeSCfB
— Met Office (@metoffice) August 16, 2025
The French health authorities have yet issued any alert. The episode, deemed temporary and concentrated at altitude, has no significant risk for the quality of the air breathed in the areas concerned.
