More than 1,000 firefighters now battling Colorado blaze
The Lee Fire, currently only six percent contained, is being exacerbated by gusty winds and low humidity, prompting warnings for remote residents to prepare for immediate departure.
All 179 incarcerated people from the Rifle Correctional Center were safely relocated as a precaution, with no injuries or structural damage reported from the blaze.
Now the sixth-largest single fire in Colorado's history, the Lee Fire is being battled by over 1,000 firefighters, with air quality warnings issued due to smoke.
Separately, wildfires are also burning in California, including the Canyon Fire, which is 62 percent contained, and the Gifford Fire, the state's largest this year at 180 square miles.
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Reuters
3 hours ago
- Reuters
Firefighters battle 'fire whirls' in northern Spain
CUBO DE BENAVENTE, Spain, Aug 11 (Reuters) - Extreme heat and strong winds caused "fire whirls" as a blaze burned several houses and forced the evacuation of hundreds of people from near a UNESCO-listed national park in northern Spain, authorities said on Monday. Thirteen fires broke out in the north of the Castile and Leon region, with about 700 people told to abandon their homes in half a dozen villages. Four fires were still live, Juan Carlos Suarez-Quinones, chief of environment for the regional government, said on Monday morning. Firefighters had extinguished the other nine. High temperatures on Sunday had caused the so-called fire whirls near Las Medallas park, forcing firemen to retreat and burning some houses in the nearby village, according to Suarez-Quinones. "This occurs when temperatures reach around 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in a very confined valley and then suddenly (the fire) enters a more open and oxygenated area. This produces a fireball, a fire whirl," he said. "This explosive and surprising phenomenon was very dangerous. It disrupted all the work that had been done, forcing us to start practically from scratch," he added. Scientists say the Mediterranean region's hotter, drier summers put it at high risk of wildfires. Once fires start, dry vegetation and strong winds can cause them to spread rapidly and burn out of control, sometimes provoking fire whirls. A prolonged heatwave in Spain continued on Monday with temperatures set to reach 42 C in some regions. Domingo Aparicio, 77, was evacuated to a nearby town from his home in Cubo de Benavente on Sunday after a warehouse in front of his home burned down. "How am I supposed to feel? It's always shocking for people close to the catastrophe," he said. Two or three fires may have been started by lightning strikes, Suarez-Quinones said, but there were indications that the majority were the result of arson, which he described as "environmental terrorism". In the northern part of neighbouring Portugal, nearly 700 firefighters were battling a blaze that started on Saturday in Trancoso, some 350 km (200 miles) northeast of Lisbon. So far this year about 52,000 hectares (200 square miles), or 0.6% of Portugal's total area, have burned, exceeding the 2006-2024 average for the same period by about 10,000 hectares, according to the European Forest Fire Information System. Firefighters were also battling blazes in Navarra in northeastern Spain and in Huelva in the southwest, authorities said.
The Independent
3 hours ago
- The Independent
Firefighters remain at scene of Arthur's Seat blaze
Firefighters remain at the scene of a gorse blaze on Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh which broke out on Sunday afternoon. Emergency services were called to the scene at around 4.05pm on August 10. Fire crews worked through the night tackling the blaze and three appliances were still dealing with the incident by late morning on Monday. Smoke could be seen billowing into the sky from the hill, an extinct volcano in Holyrood Park to the south-east of the city centre. Experts said that most wildfires in Scotland are caused by the actions of people, whether malicious or otherwise. There were no reports of any casualties. Dr Rory Hadden, Rushbrook senior lecturer in fire investigation at the University of Edinburgh, said wildfires are becoming more frequent due to climate and land use change. He said there needs to be more awareness of wildfire risk and that careful thought must be given to how landscapes are managed and how to minimise the consequences of wildfires when they do happen. Dr Hadden said: 'Wildfires in and around Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh occur relatively often. Like this one, these typically burn relatively small areas (compared to other wildfires in Scotland) but can have relatively large impacts due to the location and proximity to people – the plume of smoke can exacerbate respiratory conditions as well as the direct danger to those on the hill. 'It has been very dry in Edinburgh this year. This means that vegetation – particularly dead growth from previous years – is very dry. The weather in Edinburgh has been reasonably good recently (sunny and warm) but with quite strong winds. 'This all acts to dry out even more of the dead vegetation, making it easy to ignite – and once ignited, for the fire to spread rapidly. Especially on the steep terrain of Arthur's Seat. 'The location is popular with visitors and locals alike and with it being a nice day yesterday it was very busy. We know that most fires in Scotland are started by the actions of people (malicious or otherwise). 'The large number of people visiting and the very dry conditions are therefore a good mix for a wildfire to start and to spread. But it is too early to identify the specific cause of the fire in this instance. 'More generally we are seeing increases in wildfires in the UK due to climate and land use change.'
BreakingNews.ie
3 hours ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Dozen regions placed on red alert as France is hit by heatwave
A blistering heatwave gripped south-west France on Monday, sending temperatures soaring to 43C in parts of the Charente and Aude. In Aude, a patchwork of vineyards and Mediterranean scrubland, hundreds of firefighters remained on the hillsides guarding the edges of a massive blaze that scorched 16,000 hectares (40,000 acres) last week. Advertisement Officials said the flames are under control, but warn the fire will not be fully extinguished for weeks, with hot spots still smouldering. The national weather authority, Meteo-France, placed 12 departments on red alert, France's highest heat warning, anticipating exceptional heat stretching from the Atlantic coast to the Mediterranean plains. Forty-one other departments were under lower-level orange alerts, as was the neighbouring microstate of Andorra, between France and Spain. Social media images showed shuttered streets in Valence, residents shielding windows with foil to reflect the light, and tourists huddling under umbrellas along the Garonne in Toulouse. Advertisement Across the south, cafe terraces stood empty as people sought cooler corners indoors. The red alert has been issued only eight times since it was created in 2004 after a deadly summer the year before. It is reserved for extreme, prolonged heat with major health risks and the potential to disrupt daily life. The designation gives local officials powers to cancel outdoor events, close public venues and alter school or summer camp schedules. Advertisement The heatwave, France's second of the summer, began on Friday and is expected to last all week, carrying into the August 15 holiday weekend. It is already pushing northward, with 38C forecast in the Centre-Val de Loire region and up to 34C in Paris.
