The extreme heat wave that has been plaguing Europe this summer has translated into extensive forest fires in some countries, especially in recent days. According to the newspapers El País and El Mundo, at least two people died this week and there are fires still active in Castile and Lion, Galicia, Extremadura, Castile-It Mancha and Madrid, among other communities.
According to Reuters, one of the victims is a volunteer firefighter, who had serious burns. So far, forest fires have burned almost 99,000 hectares in Spain this year and the extreme heat is getting the situation worse. The dead man was a 35 -year -old volunteer firefighter trying to create a fires barrier near the city of Nogarejas, central Castile and Leo, when he was in the fire, regional officials said.
On Monday, another fire killed a man who worked in a stable of horses around Madrid and hit some houses and farms before being contained.
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A 10-day heat wave should last by Monday, state meteorological agency Aemet said, predicting a “extreme” risk of forest fires on Wednesday. On Wednesday, the agency listed 11 locations in Spain that were on temperature alert of more than 40 degrees centigrade, including Catalonia and the community of Madrid. “We are at the most challenging point of the season,” said Aemet at X.
Only between yesterday and today, 7,000 people residing in León and Zamora had to leave their homes with the advancement of the flames. In Galicia, 8,000 hectares were consumed by fire.
El País reported that the Castela and Leão Board raised to the level 2 of gravity the declared fire in La Bastida, in Salamanca, due to a “serious risk” for the population, given the proximity of the fire to the urban area.
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According to El Mundo, Renfe Rail operator resumed the circulation of trains between Madrid and Ávila, which had been out of service since Friday.
Environmental Minister Sara Aagesen told the radio station that many fires across the country were suspected of being intentionally caused by fire to her “virulence,” but added that it was too early to say how many.
The leader of the Galicia region, in the northwest, Alfonso Rueda, called the situation “complicated” and said the weather was not helping. Six active fires were affecting a total of 10,000 hectares in the province of Ourense, Galicia.
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Emergencies had also had a political impact. The PP, a party of opposition to the government of Pedro Sanchez, accused the management of abandoning autonomous communities and only acting when requested. But he went to social networks to say that emergency teams continue to fight the fire in different parts of the country.
“The situation of the fire is still severe. It is essential extreme caution. Thank you, once again, to everyone who is working tirelessly to fight the flames,” he wrote at X.
(Com Reuters)
