Wildfires erupt in Portugal and Spain with hundreds of firefighters deployed
LISBON: Hundreds of firefighters are battling fresh wildfires in Portugal and Spain following a summer of devastating blazes across the region.The largest fire is raging in Seia in central Portugal where 600 firefighters have been deployed to tackle flames fanned by strong winds.Several roads have been closed as the priority remains protecting homes according to civil protection authorities.Police have arrested one person suspected of starting the fire in Portugal.In Spain authorities confined the small village of Castromil in the northwest as a precaution due to a nearby blaze.The area was hit hard by a wave of devastating fires in August with one fire reviving on Saturday due to strong winds.Spain ended a state of emergency on Sunday that had been in effect for several weeks due to one of the worst wildfire waves in recent years.Four people were killed and over 300,000 hectares burnt during Spain’s wildfire crisis.Central and northern Portugal were also ravaged in August by devastating wildfires that killed four people and caused several injuries.The Portugal fires destroyed approximately 254,000 hectares representing the worst toll since 2017.Portugal experienced its hottest summer since 1931 this year according to the national meteorological agency. – AFP
Civil protection authorities have emphasized that their primary focus is on safeguarding homes and preventing further damage to populated areas. Several roads in the affected region have been closed to ensure public safety and to allow emergency services unfettered access to the fire lines. Portuguese police have arrested one individual suspected of deliberately starting the fire, highlighting the potential for human involvement in exacerbating the crisis.
Across the border in Spain, authorities have taken precautionary measures by confining the residents of the small village of Castromil, located in the northwest of the country, due to a nearby wildfire. This area was severely impacted by a wave of devastating fires in August, and unfortunately, one of those fires reignited on Saturday due to the return of strong winds.
Spain had only just lifted a state of emergency on Sunday, which had been in place for several weeks in response to one of the worst wildfire seasons in recent memory. During the peak of the crisis, four people tragically lost their lives, and over 300,000 hectares of land were consumed by the flames.
Central and northern Portugal also suffered significant losses in August, with devastating wildfires resulting in four fatalities and numerous injuries. These fires destroyed approximately 254,000 hectares, marking the worst toll the country has experienced since 2017.
The extreme conditions contributing to these fires have been exacerbated by unusually high temperatures. Portugal's national meteorological agency reported that the country experienced its hottest summer since 1931 this year, creating a tinderbox environment ripe for wildfires. The ongoing battle against these new blazes underscores the continued vulnerability of the Iberian Peninsula to the increasing threat of wildfires in the face of climate change.