Volunteer firefighter dies in Spain as wildfires rage
At least six large fires were still out of control, according to regional emergency services.
"The fire situation remains serious. Extreme caution is essential," Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on X.
Wildfires have so far burned almost 99,000 hectares (245,000 acres) in Spain this year and extreme heat is making the situation worse. A 10-day heatwave is expected to last until Monday, state weather agency AEMET said, forecasting an "extreme" risk of wildfires on Wednesday.
"We are at the most challenging point of the season," AEMET said on X.
The man who was killed was a 35-year-old volunteer firefighter who had been attempting to create firebreaks near the town of Nogarejas, in the central Castile and Leon region, when he was trapped in the blaze, regional officials said.
That fire had two active fronts that were still out of control, as weather services forecast another day of strong winds and thunderstorms.
More than 5,000 people have been evacuated in the region and efforts were focused on preventing the flames from reaching smaller towns.
Environment Minister Sara Aagesen told SER radio station that many fires across the country were suspected to be intentionally caused by arsonists due to their "virulence", but added it was too early to say how many.
On Monday, another fire killed a man working at a horse stable on the outskirts of Madrid and reached some houses and farms before it was contained.
The leader of the Galicia region in the northwest, Alfonso Rueda, called the situation there "complicated" and said the weather wasn't helping. Six active fires were affecting a combined 10,000 hectares in Galicia's Ourense province.
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Daily Mail
43 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Labour's obsession with the religion of 'rewilding' threatens lives, livelihoods - and deadly moorland blazes
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The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
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BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Hot, dry summers bring new 'firewave' risk to UK cities
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But a warming world is creating conditions more conducive to these blazes."Climate change is bringing more heatwaves and longer dry spells," Prof Rein said."These conditions dry out fuels and increase the risk of wildfires. That risk is much greater now than it was even a decade ago."While the researchers focused on London, concerns are widespread."I worry about all other UK cities and other northern European cities in particular because climate change seems to be making green vegetation that was not flammable very flammable indeed," said Prof Rein."And these places don't have a history of dealing with wildfires so don't have as much institutional experience as cities in the south of the continent." Managing fire risk Urban environments like London, with their abundance of parks and green spaces bordering residential zones, are particularly concept of a "firewave" is meant to capture the unique danger posed when several fires erupt at once in densely populated areas, which has the potential to overwhelm emergency services and threaten homes and happened in the summer of 2022 when UK temperatures exceeded 40C for the first time on 19 July 2022, London Fire Brigade (LFB) experienced its busiest day since World War broke out simultaneously across the city, including a devastating blaze in Wennington, East London, which destroyed 37 buildings, five cars, and forced the evacuation of 88 Betts, a borough commander with the LFB, has extensive experience dealing with wildfires in urban emphasises the serious threat they pose, especially when open spaces are adjacent to residential properties."The potential for fires to spread into homes is very real," said Cdr Betts."We're seeing more extreme weather events, and that's why the London Fire Brigade has adopted a much more proactive approach." To meet this growing challenge, the LFB says it has invested in new technologies and now play a critical role in wildfire response, providing real-time aerial views that help commanders map fire spread and direct resources where they are needed most."The bird's-eye view from drones gives us a huge boost in situational awareness," explained a spokesperson from the LFB."It allows us to target our efforts where the risk to life and property is greatest."In addition to drones, the brigade has introduced off-road vehicles capable of reaching fires in difficult terrain, such as heathland and vehicles can be used to create firebreaks – using water to soak the ground to help stop fires from spreading Imperial College London researchers argue that the Met Office's current definition of a heatwave does not adequately reflect the wildfire risk in urban propose it adopts the term "firewave" to signal periods of extreme fire danger in cities - a concept they hope will inform future public safety strategies and climate resilience Met Office has been asked for comment. 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