Latest news with #Effis
The Sun
a day ago
- Climate
- The Sun
Army deployed as wildfires rage in western Spain amid heatwave
MADRID: Firefighters and military units are struggling to contain wildfires in northwest and western Spain as a prolonged heatwave intensifies the crisis. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez confirmed a coordination meeting was held to manage firefighting efforts. France and Italy have dispatched water bombers to assist at an air base near Salamanca. 'The government continues to work to fight the fire with all the means at its disposal,' Sanchez stated on social media. The worst-hit regions include Castile and Leon, Galicia, Asturias, and Extremadura. At least 10 roads and the Madrid-Galicia train line remain closed due to the fires. Galician emergency services issued alerts urging residents in multiple towns to stay indoors. 'If you receive this alert: remain calm and read the text carefully,' the warnings advised. Residents were also told to avoid unnecessary travel and move away from fire-affected areas if outdoors. Approximately 3,500 military personnel from an emergency unit have been deployed nationwide. Castile and Leon's regional leader Alfonso Fernandez Manueco demanded additional army support from the central government. Extremadura has formally requested reinforcements to combat the escalating fires. In Spain, wildfire response primarily falls under regional authority unless a major disaster occurs. The heat alert is expected to last until Monday, worsening wildfire risks. Smoke from Spanish and Portuguese fires has drifted as far as the UK, according to the Met Office. Effis data shows over 157,000 hectares have burned in Spain since January. - AFP
eNCA
a day ago
- Climate
- eNCA
Fires keep burning in western Spain as army is deployed
MADRID - As Spain enters its third week of heatwave alerts, firefighters continue to battle blazes in the northwest and west of the country, with army units deployed to help contain the blazes. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said he had held a "coordination meeting" Saturday, as France and Italy sent water bombers to an air base near Salamanca to help with the firefighting efforts. "The government continues to work to fight the fire with all the means at its disposal," he said on X. The most serious forest fires were in the northwest and west of the country, in the regions of Castile and Leon, Galicia, Asturias and Extremadura. Around 10 roads remain closed across the country, as well as the train line between Madrid and Galicia. Emergency services in Galicia sent alert messages urging residents in dozens of towns to take precautions. "If you receive this alert: remain calm and read the text carefully," the alerts said. "As the fires spread, avoid all unnecessary travel and stay indoors. If you are outside and have nowhere to stay, move away from the affected areas." Around 3,500 military from a special emergency unit were deployed around the country, with some political leaders calling for more. Alfonso Fernandez Manueco, the centre-right president of Castile and Leon, asked Sanchez's government "for an exceptional response: we need more army personnel at the disposal of the regions". Extremadura has also made an official request for reinforcements. In Spain, firefighting is in principle the responsibility of the regions with the central government only intervening in the event of a major disaster. AFP | Brais LORENZO Smoke from wildfires in Spain and Portugal has reached the UK, the country's Met Office reported. Since the beginning of the year, more than 157,000 hectares have been reduced to ashes in Spain, according to the real-time map of the European Forest Fire Information System (Effis). mig/gv/jj
Al Etihad
a day ago
- Climate
- Al Etihad
Fires keep burning in western Spain as army is deployed
16 Aug 2025 22:43 Madrid (AFP)As Spain enters its third week of heatwave alerts, firefighters continue to battle blazes in the northwest and west of the country, with army units deployed to help contain the Minister Pedro Sanchez said he had held a "coordination meeting" Saturday, as France and Italy sent water bombers to an air base near Salamanca to help with the firefighting efforts."The government continues to work to fight the fire with all the means at its disposal," he said on most serious forest fires were in the northwest and west of the country, in the regions of Castile and Leon, Galicia, Asturias and 10 roads remain closed across the country, as well as the train line between Madrid and Galicia. Emergency services in Galicia sent alert messages urging residents in dozens of towns to take precautions."If you receive this alert: remain calm and read the text carefully," the alerts said."As the fires spread, avoid all unnecessary travel and stay indoors. If you are outside and have nowhere to stay, move away from the affected areas."Around 3,500 military from a special emergency unit were deployed around the country, with some political leaders calling for more. Alfonso Fernandez Manueco, the president of Castile and Leon, asked Sanchez's government "for an exceptional response: we need more army personnel at the disposal of the regions". Extremadura has also made an official request for Spain, firefighting is in principle the responsibility of the regions with the central government only intervening in the event of a major is expected to remain on heat alert until Monday, the extreme temperatures having significantly increased the risk of wildfires. Smoke from wildfires in Spain and Portugal has reached the UK, the country's Met Office reported. Since the beginning of the year, more than 157,000 hectares have been reduced to ashes in Spain, according to the real-time map of the European Forest Fire Information System (Effis).
Straits Times
30-06-2025
- Climate
- Straits Times
Rescuers evacuate 50,000 as Turkey battles wildfires
Smoke and flares rise from forest area after a wildfire broke out in Seferihisar district in Izmir, on June 30. PHOTO: AFP ANKARA - Rescuers in Turkey have evacuated more than 50,000 people, mostly from the western province of Izmir, as firefighters battled a string of wildfires, the Afad disaster agency said on June 30. The worst blaze began June 29 in Seferihisar, a forested area 50km south-west of the resort city of Izmir, spreading rapidly with winds of up to 120km per hour, officials said. 'A total of over 50,000 citizens from 41 settlements have been temporarily relocated to safe areas,' Afad wrote on X, saying 79 people had been affected by smoke and other fire-related issues, none seriously. Of that number, 42,300 were evacuated from Seferihisar, where TV footage showed huge areas of flame raging through forested areas, sending vast clouds of black smoke into the sky. Overnight, around 20 evacuated homes were gutted by the blaze, with only the walls left standing, footage on private TV network NTV showed. Residents in the seaside village of Urkmez had on June 29 felled trees to create firebreaks and protect their homes as the flames advanced, a witness told AFP. 'Unfortunately, the wind is continuing to blow very strongly,' Agriculture and Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli told reporters on June 30 afternoon. The Turkish State Meteorological Service warned about strong winds over the weekend. Flights briefly suspended Mr Yumakli said more than 1,000 people had been drafted in to tackle the blaze with four planes, 14 helicopters and 106 fire trucks. Afad said another 3,000 residents were evacuated from Manisa, 40km north of Izmir. Another 1,500 people were forced out of their homes in the southern Hatay region, where four helicopters, 211 fire engines and 540 firefighters were fighting a blaze some 10km north of the city of Antakya, the governor said. Around 850 others were forced to flee from two other wildfires in north-western Turkey, Afad said. Firefighters and local residents respond to a wildfire in Menderes district of the Aegean city of Izmir, Turkey, on June 29. PHOTO: REUTERS Meanwhile, Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said on X that one person had been arrested for allegedly starting one of the wildfires in the Izmir area with gasoline. 'The suspect is alleged to have set fire to their own residence, (which) subsequently caused a forest fire,' he wrote, without giving further details. Since June 27, 263 fires had broken out across Turkey, of which 259 were under control while efforts were ongoing to fight the remaining four, the agriculture and forestry ministry said. Izmir airport, which temporarily suspended flights on June 29, resumed operations, Turkish media reported. Wildfires have ravaged nearly 19,000 ha of land across Turkey so far this year, according to website of the European Forest Fire Information System (Effis). Experts say human-driven climate change is causing more frequent and more intense wildfires and other natural disasters, and have warned Turkey to take measures to tackle the problem. AFP Find out more about climate change and how it could affect you on the ST microsite here.
