Barcelona plans multi-day 50°C heatwave drill in 2027

Barcelona will stage a heatwave simulation reaching 50°C in the first quarter of 2027, lasting more than a day, the city's first deputy mayor, Laia Bonet, told the Catalan News Agency (ACN).

Throughout 2026, the city will conduct a detailed assessment and planning phase. The simulation will include two tests: one to examine the effects of extreme heat on the urban environment, and another to coordinate municipal services.

Barcelona will present the exercise at the C40 World Mayors Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 3-5 November, ahead of COP30, the 2025 United Nations Climate Change Conference.

Bonet said the simulation will take place in selected areas rather than across entire neighborhoods.

"The goal is not a city-wide response, but to test procedures and draw conclusions," she explained. Insights gained will help update protocols for extreme heat events.

"The drill has to last more than a day, as these episodes can, for sure, last longer than one day, and moreover, under absolutely adverse circumstances," Bonet said.