Madrid, July 20 (dpa/GNA) – A wildfire raging north-east of Madrid, continued to spread rapidly as it went into its fifth day on Monday.
Some 26,000 hectares have now been burnt, twice as much as on Sunday, according to Emiliano GarcĂa-Page, the regional president of the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha. He described the fire 60 kilometres north-east of the Spanish capital as the worst wildfire in the region’s history.
Strong winds from the south-west have pushed the massive smoke clouds away from the capital. Around 1,200 people from 30 threatened communities had been evacuated, GarcĂa-Page said. Emergency crews are being reinforced to fight the blaze, which has a perimeter of 120 kilometres.
Unusually heavy rainfall during the winter and spring boosted the growth of vegetation, which is now highly flammable following heatwaves. Another heatwave is expected from Tuesday, with temperatures of around 40 degrees Celsius. Winds of roughly 50 kilometres per hour have fuelled the flames.
Public broadcaster RTVE, reported that the wall of fire has been advancing at speeds of up to four kilometres per hour. Hundreds of emergency workers on the ground are using heavy equipment to cut firebreaks, supported by Spain’s Military Emergency Unit.
According to media reports, around 45 firefighting aircraft and helicopters are also involved in the operation. Authorities said they have so far succeeded in preventing the flames from reaching nearby communities.
Since the beginning of the year, large wildfires in Spain have destroyed more than 100,000 hectares, according to data from the European Commission’s European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS).Situation in FranceIn France, firefighters are also battling several fires in the south of the country and on the Mediterranean island of Corsica, as a new heatwave approaches southern and south-eastern Europe.
In the mountainous hinterland of Saint-Tropez, in southern France, 360 firefighters were battling a vegetation fire that broke out on Sunday. The blaze destroyed four houses and 15 vehicles, according to the newspaper Var-Matin.
Firefighters, aided by water-dropping aircraft, managed to prevent the flames from spreading to around 100 additional homes. Rail traffic in the region was suspended.
On Sunday evening, an express train from Nice carrying 800 passengers became stranded at the station in the small town of Les Arcs because, it was unable to continue its journey.
The MĂ©tĂ©o-France weather service warned of an increased wildfire risk in 27 of France’s 96 mainland departments. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez told broadcaster France Inter, that nearly 40,000 hectares of natural land have been destroyed by fires since the start of the year, significantly more than during the same period last year or even during the particularly severe fire season of 2022.
Nationwide, 111 people have been arrested on suspicion of arson, according to the minister. Most of them had admitted the accusations.
Greece, a popular Mediterranean holiday destination, is likewise experiencing its first major heatwave of the summer. After a relatively mild start to the season, temperatures have risen since the beginning of the week to 40-41 degrees Celsius across much of the country.
In some inland areas, temperatures of 42-43 degrees are expected. According to Greece weather service EMY, the heat is expected to gradually ease from the north starting Thursday, while southern parts of the country will remain hot for longer.
The Greek mainland is expected to be worst affected, while most islands will experience milder temperatures. As a precaution, several major Greek cities have opened air-conditioned halls and public spaces between 9 am and 9 pm, aimed especially at people who do not have air-conditioning at home.
GNA