Over the weekend, three wildfires in Spain destroyed more than 1,000 hectares (2,470 acres) of land. However, as of Monday, the fires were under control. Despite this, the country remains on high alert due to the arrival of the third heat wave of the summer.
The regions of Andalusia, Castilla-La Mancha, and Extremadura have been placed on an orange alert, as temperatures are expected to reach 43 degrees Celsius (109 Fahrenheit) on Monday. The national weather agency Aemet has issued this warning. This heat wave is expected to persist until Thursday.
The firefighting service Infoca has reported that a fire that broke out near the coastal city of Cadiz on Sunday, approximately 10 kilometers (six miles) away, has been “stabilized” by midnight. Cadiz is a popular tourist destination on the Atlantic Ocean. Another fire, which occurred between Saturday and Sunday, affecting approximately 450 hectares (1,100 acres) near the city of Huelva in the southwest, is also under control.
In Catalonia, on the Mediterranean coast, firefighters have been battling a blaze since Friday. Strong wind gusts have complicated their efforts. However, Catalan fire officials announced on X on Monday that the fire is now under control, although around 30 firefighting units are still on site. Forest officials have reported that nearly 600 hectares have been burned.
Catalonia and Andalusia are the regions most frequently affected by drought, making them more susceptible to wildfires. Since the beginning of the year, more than 70,000 hectares of land have been burned in Spain. In 2022, a record-breaking 300,000 hectares were destroyed, according to the European Forest Fire Information System (Effis).
Experts believe that the increased frequency, duration, and intensity of heat waves are linked to climate change.
© 2023 AFP
Citation: Spain on heat alert as wildfires burn (2023, August 7) retrieved 7 August 2023
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