logo
Wildfires threaten Madrid as blazes rage across Spain

Wildfires threaten Madrid as blazes rage across Spain

Telegraph6 days ago
A wildfire has broken out in a town near Madrid as Europe continues to grapple with extreme heat.
Emergency crews battled the blaze in Tres Cantos overnight, which is located some 23km north of the Spanish capital.
Extreme temperatures in southern Europe, including Spain and Portugal, are expected to last until at least Wednesday, with forecasts reaching up to 44C.
Firefighters were also tackling 'fire whirls' in the north of Spain, which burned several houses and forced hundreds of residents from their homes.
About 800 people were told to abandon their homes in half a dozen villages in the Castile and Leon region, where several wildfires were raging.
High temperatures on Sunday had already caused a separate wildfire near Las Medulas park, forcing firemen to retreat.
'This occurs when temperatures reach around 40C in a very confined valley and then suddenly (the fire) enters a more open and oxygenated area. This produces a fireball, a fire whirl,' said Juan Carlos Suarez-Quinones, the chief of environment for the regional government.
Scientists say the Mediterranean'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 42C in some regions on Tuesday.
In the northern part of neighbouring Portugal, nearly 700 firefighters were battling a blaze that started on Saturday in Trancoso, some 350km (200 miles) north-east of Lisbon.
Meanwhile, temperatures are expected to reach 40C in Italy this week, where a four-year-old boy died from heatstroke. Red alert warnings have been issued for seven major cities, including Bologna and Florence.
In France, nearly half the country was placed under heatwave warnings as of Monday, with 12.5 per cent of its administrative units on the highest red alert.
It came after firefighters brought its biggest fire since 1949 under control on Sunday, which killed at least one person and injured 20 firefighters and five civilians.
Wildfires in Croatia, Serbia, Albania and Montenegro have also forced people to flee their homes, according to local media reports.
The UK has been spared from extreme heat this summer, though the country's hottest ever temperature of 40.3C was recorded just a few years ago at Coningsby, Lincolnshire on July 19, 2022.
Temperatures in the UK are also hotter than average, with amber alerts issued as temperatures may hit 34C during what will be the fourth heatwave of the summer.
However, while the UK is experiencing a hotter-than-average summer, its cooler, wetter Atlantic-influenced climate and the positioning of pressure systems prevent it from reaching the extreme temperatures experienced in southern Europe.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Wildfires ‘out of control' in Spain as thousands evacuated and extra 500 troops deployed with holiday hotspots on alert
Wildfires ‘out of control' in Spain as thousands evacuated and extra 500 troops deployed with holiday hotspots on alert

The Sun

time10 hours ago

  • The Sun

Wildfires ‘out of control' in Spain as thousands evacuated and extra 500 troops deployed with holiday hotspots on alert

RAGING wildfires are reportedly out of control in Spain - with thousands evacuated and 500 troops deployed across holiday hotspots. Terrifying infernos spread across Galicia, Extremadura, Castilla and León, and Asturias - sparking alarming high-level alerts across the regions. 8 8 8 8 In Galicia, the fires burned over 50,000 hectares of land - the most ever burned during a wildfire in the region. The majority of the flames here ripped through the city of Ourense, wreaking havoc on locals and tourists alike. It was reported that 13 of the fires there are currently active as of Sunday evening, but several could become active again. In Castilla and León, there were reportedly 27 active forest fires on Sunday. Over 3,500 residents were forced out of their homes in the provinces of León, Zamora, Salamanca, and Palencia. There are a total of 21 active forest fires in the province of León - seven of which are category 2 and four of which are level 1. The wildfires are evolving irregularly, and all of them are being closely monitored for possible re-ignitions. A spokesperson for the regional government in León, Eduardo Diego, said the evacuation of the town of Castropetre had been agreed upon due to the Gestoso fire. This blaze reportedly spread from Ourense and has a very active front towards León. Meanwhile, the Jarilla fire tearing through Cáceres, in the heart of Extremadura, is "completely out of control", the president of the regional government María Guardiola said. Desperate moment Greek locals run into the sea to get on rescue boats as wildfires rip through dozens of residential regions This fire has already spread to the Port of Honduras and is only 7km from the provincial border of Salamanca. Castile and León has therefore been warned that the fire could enter its territory. In six days, the blaze has devastated 9,000 hectares of land. It sparked a mass evacuations in Gargantilla as well as a lockdown in Hervás on Sunday. The area is said to be very difficult to access, and 17 teams are currently working there. On top of this, Molina Ferrera was confined due to the Yeres/Llamas de Cabrera fire. 8 8 A total of 12 towns have been evacuated due to this blaze, with 681 residents out of their homes. It comes as hundreds of dangerous and deadly wildfires have plagued Europe in recent weeks with dozens of holiday hotspots left ravaged. On Saturday, terrifying footage emerged showing the horrifying moment a fire tornado violently erupted in Portugal, killing a mayor in its blaze. Portugal's northern region of Aguiar de Beira was left burned on Friday as a fire tornado cascaded through the area. This rare phenomenon is formed in intense heat when the air surrounding a fire begins to rotate into a vortex. Portugal, Spain, Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, Italy and Bulgaria are all still reeling from the deadly fires that have sprung up this summer. Brits have been put on high alert over wildfires tearing through the popular holiday island of Tenerife in Spain. Just a couple weeks ago, a fire sparked in the north and continued to spread towards busy resorts in Santiago del Teide. Locals were ordered to evacuate the area and the island was put on red alert for the high risk of forest fires. 8

Outbuilding blaze in Southend spreads to rubbish pile and trees
Outbuilding blaze in Southend spreads to rubbish pile and trees

BBC News

time11 hours ago

  • BBC News

Outbuilding blaze in Southend spreads to rubbish pile and trees

Firefighters have been tackling a large fire in Southend, with nearby residents advised to keep their doors and windows shut to keep out County Fire and Rescue Service was called at about 16:00 BST to Eastern commander Dean Riley said: "Crews arrived to a well developed fire which was spreading from an outbuilding to a pile of rubbish and nearby trees."Firefighters have worked hard in very warm weather conditions to surround the fire and stop it from spreading to nearby buildings and a supermarket." Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.

Spain continues to burn as extreme temperatures strike
Spain continues to burn as extreme temperatures strike

The Independent

time13 hours ago

  • The Independent

Spain continues to burn as extreme temperatures strike

Spain is deploying an additional 500 soldiers, bringing the total to over 1,900, to combat widespread wildfires, particularly in the northwestern Galicia region where 12 major blazes are active. The country is experiencing extreme temperatures, with forecasts up to 45 degrees Celsius, leading to an "extreme" danger of wildfires across most of the nation. So far this year, fires in Spain have consumed 158,000 hectares, an area comparable to metropolitan London, with homes in Galicia under threat and evacuations underway. International assistance is arriving, with Spain expecting water-dumping planes from the Netherlands, France, and Italy, and additional firefighters from other countries. The severe conditions have led to the suspension of Madrid-Galicia high-speed train services and health advisories for residents in affected areas, while other European nations like Portugal and Greece also battle significant fires.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store