Heat Shelters Closed in August: The Deadly Paradox of Spain’s Hottest Region

As temperatures in Spain’s Murcia region hit a scorching 44.7 degrees Celsius on July 23, the city of Murcia activated its emergency heat plan. But a new investigation reveals a critical flaw: 30 of the 48 public spaces designated as climate shelters—places where vulnerable people can escape extreme heat—are completely closed during the entire month of August. Climate shelters are public, free spaces like libraries, museums, and cultural centers that offer a cool, safe environment during heat waves. They are designed for those who need them most: the elderly, children, people with chronic illnesses, the homeless, and families who cannot afford air conditioning. In Murcia, the city lists 94 such refuges. However, an analysis of 48 of these locations found that most shut their doors during the hottest month of the year. Ten of the eleven libraries reviewed are closed all August. Nineteen of the twenty cultural centers are also shuttered. The few museums that remain open only operate in the morning, and the city’s main theater is closed. The stakes are high. According to Spain’s daily mortality monitoring system (MoMo), extreme heat killed 35 people in the Murcia region last July alone. Vulnerable residents, who often cannot leave the city for holidays, are left with few options when the thermometer rises. The contradiction is stark. The city promotes these refuges as a key adaptation to global warming, yet their operating hours do not match the climate risk calendar. elDiario.es has asked the local government, led by the People's Party (PP), for a response but has not yet received one. The problem is not unique to Murcia. In the nearby port city of Cartagena, home to over 222,000 residents and expecting 32,000 cruise tourists this August, the city boasts of having “cold water fountains” for hydration. In reality, there are only three. Political factors may be slowing progress. The regional government relies on the far-right party Vox to pass its budget. Vox has previously called climate emergency declarations a “ideological trap” and has supported motions to cut funding for ecological transition and climate change plans. Experts argue that these adaptation measures—planting trees, creating shade, and keeping public cooling centers open—are essential. As one city official noted, these are the very actions that could have saved some of the 35 lives lost to extreme heat just weeks ago.