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Spanish firefighters battle wildfires caused by searing 40°C heatwave

Photo by Andres Gutierrez/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Photo by Andres Gutierrez/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
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Spanish firefighters have been battling over 50 forest and grassland fires in central and southern Spain since Friday afternoon as temperatures continue to soar.

The majority broke out across Andalusia, Extremadura and Castilla-La Mancha, where scorching temperatures have hit 40°C and above,

In the southwest of the country, raging fires have rapidly spread across forests and fallow lands in Puebla de Maestre, Extremadura, causing extensive damage to over 1,000 hectares. During Friday evening, most of the fires were near the cities of Guadalajara, Badajoz, Seville, and Cordoba.

In the province of Badajoz, Spanish medical services reported that two men were injured in the fire in the municipality of La Zarza.

The Spanish civil defense said that the fight against the blaze is being impeded by strong, variable winds, as well as the significant dryness of the ground.

Most of the fires that spread across Spain on Friday have appeared suddenly, particularly in areas where temperatures have remained above 40 degrees for several days.

Wildfires in Europe


Because the heat wave is gripping many parts of Europe, the risk of wildfire is increasing, with some countries already battling their own blazes.

In Spain’s neighboring Portugal, several people have recently been killed in wildfires, and the risk of new ones breaking out remains high. Bulgaria has seen a wave of fires ravage the country, leaving many homeless. After more than two weeks of firestorms, authorities are still battling nature. Neighboring North Macedonia has faced similar dangers in the past weeks with dozens of wildfires being fought by local and EU services. In Croatia, last week tourists had to evacuate an area around the coastal city of Spilit in southern Croatia due to what appears to be arson, after a man was arrested in connection with the fire.

In Italy and Greece, the risk of fires remains high as services fight local blazes.
Source: TVP World, PAP
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