An uncontrolled wildfire sends a cloud of smoke over Spain's capital
Firefighters deployed on the ground and in the air were working to extinguish the fire that began around 3 p.m. Wind blew the smoke over Madrid where in the afternoon skies turned orange and thick with smoke. Large parts of Spain are under heat and fire warnings with temperatures on Thursday reaching 37 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit) in Madrid.
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, which makes places more vulnerable to wildfires.
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Iranians told to use less water as heatwave worsens shortages
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Al Arabiya
4 days ago
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An uncontrolled wildfire sends a cloud of smoke over Spain's capital
An uncontrolled wildfire burned outside Madrid on Thursday, sending a giant cloud of smoke over the Spanish capital. The fire broke out in the town of Mentrida in central Spain's Castile-La Mancha region, about 50 kilometers (30 miles) southwest of the capital. Local authorities urged residents to stay home and close their windows. Spanish authorities said the blaze had burned around 3000 hectares (roughly 7400 acres) by the late evening. Firefighters deployed on the ground and in the air were working to extinguish the fire that began around 3 p.m. Wind blew the smoke over Madrid where in the afternoon skies turned orange and thick with smoke. Large parts of Spain are under heat and fire warnings with temperatures on Thursday reaching 37 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit) in Madrid. 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, which makes places more vulnerable to wildfires.
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Steve Miller Band Cancels Tour, Saying Extreme Weather Is A Safety Concern
Classic rocker Steve Miller has canceled his US tour because he said severe weather, including extreme heat and unpredictable flooding, poses a danger to his band, its fans, and crew. The tour was set to kick off in August and run through early November, with nearly three dozen stops across the US, including cities in New York, Tennessee, Florida, and California. 'The combination of extreme heat, unpredictable flooding, tornadoes, hurricanes, and massive forest fires make these risks for you, our audience, the band, and the crew unacceptable,' Miller, 81, said in a statement posted on the band's social media accounts Wednesday. 'You can blame it on the weather. … The tour is canceled.' The Steve Miller Band, formed in California in the 1960s, has hits including 'The Joker' (1973) and 'Abracadabra' (1982). A band spokesperson declined to provide additional details about the cancellation. Miller's decision comes as a stretch of extreme weather in the US has made headlines. A sweltering heat dome that baked much of the eastern half of the nation in June and deadly flash flooding in Texas are some of the recent rounds of extreme weather. Scientists say climate change is fueling extreme weather, causing storms to unleash more rain and sending temperatures soaring to dangerous heights, making it harder to plan outdoor summer events. The atmosphere can hold higher amounts of moisture as it warms, resulting in storms dumping heavier amounts of rain compared to storms of the past. Music festivals have recently encountered extreme weather, resulting in cancellations or causing concertgoers to become ill. In June, the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Tennessee was canceled partway through due to heavy rainfall. Last week, hundreds of people were treated for heat-related illnesses at the Rock the Country music festival in Kentucky, according to local officials. A study published in 2020 reported climate change will increase the likelihood of extreme heat stress during the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in California. Tropical storms and hurricanes will soon contribute to the turbulent weather as activity peaks between August and October, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
