Worst in 20 Years: Heatwave Fuels Massive Wildfires Across Spain and Portugal

A severe heatwave made it very difficult to control 20 large wildfires across Spain on Sunday. The Spanish government have ordered 500 soldiers from the military emergency unit to help fight the fires.

In Northwest’s Galicia, several fires combined into one gigantic blaze and forced the closure of highways and train lines. Reports also suggest that southern Europe faces one of its most terrible wildfire seasons in 20 years, with Spain being among the worst affected countries.

In the past week alone, fires in Spain have killed three people and burned over 115,000 hectares of land.

Both Spain and Portugal Grappling With Severe Wildfires

Portugal is also dealing with many wildfires. Some parts of Spain are expected to reach temperatures of 45°C (113°F), according to the national weather agency AEMET.

“There are still tough days ahead, and unfortunately, the weather isn’t helping,” said Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in Ourense, one of the worst-hit areas. He said that with the new reinforcements, the total number of troops fighting the fires in Spain will rise to 1,900.

Virginia Barcones, head of emergency services, told Spanish TV that temperatures should drop from Tuesday, but for now, the weather is very dangerous. “Today, the heat is extremely high, and the risk of fire is extreme, which makes fighting the fires even harder,” she said.

Citizens in Some Parts Use Buckets to Extinguish Fire

In the village of Villardevos, Galicia, some residents are trying to fight the flames themselves with water buckets because the area has no electricity to run water pumps. “The fireplanes come from all sides, but they don’t come here,” said Basilio Rodriguez, a local resident. Another resident, Lorea Pascual, said, “It’s impossible to stop, it couldn’t be worse.”

In Portugal, wildfires have destroyed about 155,000 hectares of land this year, three times the usual amount for this time of year. Half of this area burned in just the last three days. Thousands of firefighters are working to control eight large fires in central and northern Portugal. The biggest is near Piodao, a scenic mountain area popular with tourists. Another fire in Trancoso has been burning for eight days.

Also Read: Spain Battles Wildfires As Devastation Fuels Evacuations Amid European Heatwave