Spain and Portugal battle wave of wildfires as temperatures to rise in coming days
In the western province of Caceres, local authorities said firefighters had largely stabilised a fire that affected some 2,500 hectares (roughly 6,178 acres).
Most evacuation orders had been lifted, authorities said.
In Portugal, more than 2,000 firefighters were battling blazes across the country, particularly in the north.
Much of Spain and Portugal is under a high risk of wildfires and temperatures are expected to rise over the weekend.
Spain's meteorology service AEMET predicted that temperatures in central and southern Spain could exceed 40C by Sunday.
In Portugal, temperatures are expected to rise on Saturday into the upper 30Cs across most of the country.
Despite record-high temperatures exceeding 40C in the region in June, wildfires in Spain this year have so far burned less surface area than in previous years.
Europe is the world's fastest-warming continent, with temperatures increasing at twice the speed as the global average since the 1980s, according to the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service.
Scientists warn that climate change is exacerbating the frequency and intensity of heat and dryness, especially in south-eastern Europe, making the region more vulnerable to wildfires.
The burning of fuels such as gasoline, oil and coal, plus deforestation, wildfires and many kinds of factories release heat-trapping gasses that cause climate change.
Human activities often trigger wildfires.
On Thursday, Albanian authorities said 21 people were taken into custody for suspected arson over the past few weeks, when the country was battling 59 major wildfires that damaged 29,000 hectares (71,660 acres) of land.
Albania's interior minister Arsen Hoxha said most of the wildfires, which were extinguished by rain, had been started by humans.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
14 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
New ‘abnormally high temps' Spain weather alert for Irish tourists as hottest 42C day pinpointed
IRISH holidaymakers are being warned of soaring temperatures in a popular holiday hotspot - with highs reaching 42C. Advertisement 2 Spain has seen very high temperatures in recent weeks Credit: Getty Images - Getty 2 Now temperatures are set to reach highs of 42C Credit: Meteored Some parts of the country are currently experiencing a lower level of heat - but not for long. While some areas are likely to continue enjoying hot weather, others are set for heavy rain. Irish Advertisement READ MORE IN TRAVEL And it's also important to remember that in cases of extreme heat or rain, some outdoor activities may be cancelled. The Spanish state's meteorological agency warned that from this weekend on, the stark contrast in the Spanish weather will continue going forward. Weather bosses said: "From the weekend there will be a slight to moderate rise in temperatures which will become generalised during the following days, giving rise to a probable episode of heatwave". It is likely that the beginning of August will see temperatures reaching huge highs. Advertisement Most read in The Irish Sun It's most likely to impact the south-western quadrant and central mainland areas, due to an air mass coming in from Chiefs added: "This, together with the high depression in most of the country, will cause higher thermal values than usual for this time of year to be recorded in the aforementioned areas." HOTTEST DAY The heatwave is due to start on August 3, and the hottest day has already been revealed. Aemet has revealed that temperatures will be highest on Monday, August 4, reaching up to 42C. Advertisement The forecaster said: "On Sunday 3 August, highs will already exceed 38C across the southwest quadrant, reaching 40 - 42C in the Guadiana and Guadalquivir valleys. "The peak day of the heatwave is expected to be Monday August 4, when the thermal rises will continue and extend to the inland areas of the Cantabrian coast, where they could be locally noticeable. "On this day values close to 40C will also be recorded in the Tagus and Minho valleys, and it is very likely to exceed 42C in the area of the Guadiana and Guadalquivir." On Tuesday August 5, the central and inland areas of the south will see "abnormally warm values", the forecaster warned. Advertisement Here, highest temperatures could reach or even match the highs that Monday is set to bring. Aemet added: "Although the rise in minimum temperatures will not be so widespread and marked, it will be enough for night-time temperatures to be significant over the next few days. "In fact, the mercury is not expected to drop below 23 - 25C in large areas of the centre and south of the Spanish mainland, mainly on Monday and Tuesday."
Irish Independent
2 days ago
- Irish Independent
Spain and Portugal battle wave of wildfires as temperatures to rise in coming days
In central Spain, firefighters and a special military unit worked overnight to control blazes in the province of Avila, focusing on confining a fire burning near the village of El Arenal, about 100km (62 miles) west of Madrid, emergency services said. In the western province of Caceres, local authorities said firefighters had largely stabilised a fire that affected some 2,500 hectares (roughly 6,178 acres). Most evacuation orders had been lifted, authorities said. In Portugal, more than 2,000 firefighters were battling blazes across the country, particularly in the north. Much of Spain and Portugal is under a high risk of wildfires and temperatures are expected to rise over the weekend. Spain's meteorology service AEMET predicted that temperatures in central and southern Spain could exceed 40C by Sunday. In Portugal, temperatures are expected to rise on Saturday into the upper 30Cs across most of the country. Despite record-high temperatures exceeding 40C in the region in June, wildfires in Spain this year have so far burned less surface area than in previous years. Europe is the world's fastest-warming continent, with temperatures increasing at twice the speed as the global average since the 1980s, according to the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service. Scientists warn that climate change is exacerbating the frequency and intensity of heat and dryness, especially in south-eastern Europe, making the region more vulnerable to wildfires. The burning of fuels such as gasoline, oil and coal, plus deforestation, wildfires and many kinds of factories release heat-trapping gasses that cause climate change. Human activities often trigger wildfires. On Thursday, Albanian authorities said 21 people were taken into custody for suspected arson over the past few weeks, when the country was battling 59 major wildfires that damaged 29,000 hectares (71,660 acres) of land. Albania's interior minister Arsen Hoxha said most of the wildfires, which were extinguished by rain, had been started by humans.
Irish Examiner
2 days ago
- Irish Examiner
Spain and Portugal battle wave of wildfires as temperatures expected to rise
Thousands of firefighters in Spain and Portugal are battling an ongoing wave of wildfires, some of which have been burning for days as temperatures are expected to rise in the Iberian Peninsula. In central Spain, firefighters and a special military unit worked overnight to control blazes in the province of Avila, focusing on confining a fire burning near the village of El Arenal, about 100km (62 miles) west of Madrid, emergency services said. In the western province of Caceres, local authorities said firefighters had largely stabilised a fire that affected some 2,500 hectares (roughly 6,178 acres). People watch the firefighting efforts as a fire progresses in A Caniza, Pontevedra province, north-west Spain (Adrian Irago/Europa Press via AP) Most evacuation orders had been lifted, authorities said. In Portugal, more than 2,000 firefighters were battling blazes across the country, particularly in the north. Much of Spain and Portugal is under a high risk of wildfires and temperatures are expected to rise over the weekend. Spain's meteorology service AEMET predicted that temperatures in central and southern Spain could exceed 40C by Sunday. In Portugal, temperatures are expected to rise on Saturday into the upper 30Cs across most of the country. Despite record-high temperatures exceeding 40C in the region in June, wildfires in Spain this year have so far burned less surface area than in previous years. Europe is the world's fastest-warming continent, with temperatures increasing at twice the speed as the global average since the 1980s, according to the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service. Scientists warn that climate change is exacerbating the frequency and intensity of heat and dryness, especially in south-eastern Europe, making the region more vulnerable to wildfires. 21 Number of people taken into custody for suspected arson in Albania in the last few weeks The burning of fuels such as gasoline, oil and coal, plus deforestation, wildfires and many kinds of factories release heat-trapping gasses that cause climate change. Human activities often trigger wildfires. On Thursday, Albanian authorities said 21 people were taken into custody for suspected arson over the past few weeks, when the country was battling 59 major wildfires that damaged 29,000 hectares (71,660 acres) of land. Albania's interior minister Arsen Hoxha said most of the wildfires, which were extinguished by rain, had been started by humans.
