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Barcelona faces the summer after a sharp rise in heat-related deaths
Barcelona heads into summer with a figure that goes far beyond the feeling of stifling heat on the streets. Heat-related deaths increased by 57% in 2025 compared to the previous year, once again highlighting a reality that is increasingly hard to ignore: high temperatures also kill.
The Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona estimates that more than 3,500 people have died in the city from heat-related causes between May and September over the past decade. It’s not just about the extreme days that make headlines, but about repeated exposure that especially wears down the most vulnerable population.
In 2025, there were 370 deaths linked to heat in Barcelona. This figure marks a significant jump from the previous year and confirms a worrying trend in a city where tropical nights, poorly ventilated flats, and a lack of cool refuges do not affect everyone equally.
The impact is especially severe among women and people over 75. In 2025, nearly 83% of deaths attributed to heat were women, with a much higher rate than men. Age, chronic illnesses, medication, and loneliness increase the risk when the thermometer offers no respite.
Days of intense heat are the most dangerous. In Barcelona, the risk spikes when the temperature exceeds 34.3 degrees. In 2025, there were four days above this threshold, and 58 deaths were attributed to them, again with women making up the majority of victims.
But experts warn that the problem is not limited to the most extreme episodes. Days of moderate heat, when repeated over weeks, can end up causing more deaths than a single heatwave. This silent accumulation is key to understanding why summer has become a public health issue.
Between May and September 2025, 8% of all deaths recorded in Barcelona were related to heat. On the most intense days, the risk of dying increased by 44% compared to milder days, a difference that is even greater among older people, women, and those with fewer resources to protect themselves.
The city has begun to measure this impact more precisely. Since 2024, the Agència de Salut Pública has analysed heat-related mortality by sex, age, and social factors—key information for designing alerts, strengthening prevention, and reaching those most at risk sooner.
Heat is no longer just a seasonal discomfort in Barcelona. It’s a matter of housing, age, health, neighbourhood, and resources. While the city seeks more shade, climate refuges, and preventive warnings, each summer is a reminder that protecting oneself from the heat has become a daily necessity.