Good to know · Emergencies
Heat, storms and wildfire season: alerts and what officials ask
Spain’s weather agency AEMET issues yellow, orange and red warnings under its Meteoalerta plan, Civil Protection can send ES-Alert messages straight to phones in an affected area, the Ministry of Health publishes heat advice, and wildfire rules are set by each region. 112 is the emergency number.
- Why it matters
- Summers bring heat waves and wildfire risk, and autumn brings storms. Knowing the official warning colors, that ES-Alert needs no app, and that burning bans differ by region helps you read what you see and hear.
- When
- Summer heat, a storm forecast, a fire nearby, or a message on your phone from the authorities.
- How long it takes
- The Ministry of Health’s 2023 notice says the plan was active from 15 May to 30 September that year; check the Ministry’s current plan for this year’s dates.
- Official page
- Avisos: ayuda (Meteoalerta)
- Last checked
- 25 Oct 2026
In the guide: the 4 steps, what to bring (3 items), the 3 offices with addresses and hours, and 4 Easy to miss lines, with every official source.
One Easy to miss, on us
AEMET’s help page defines three warning levels, yellow, orange and red, and says orange means "el peligro es importante"; red means "el peligro es extraordinario".