Madrid [Spain], August 19: Spain is seeing its most devastating forest fires in over 20 years, with 3,440 square kilometres of land destroyed by more than 220 fires so far this year, according to new EU estimates.
The previous record registered by the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS) was 3,060 square kilometres of land ravaged by fires in 2022. However, the service only began recording relevant data in 2006.
According to records by the Spanish government, this year's fires are the most devastating since 1994. The worst damage has been caused by the current fires, which have raged for two weeks in the north and west of the country, claiming at least four lives.
Until August 5, only 450 square kilometres of land had been destroyed by forest fires, accounting for only 13% of the total area ravaged this year, according to the EU's Copernicus Earth observation programme.
Fourth person killed A fourth person has died in the severe wildfires sweeping the north and west of Spain, authorities said on Monday.
A firefighter was killed when the truck he was travelling in overturned in Leon province overnight. The cause of the accident remains unknown, regional emergency services told local media Three other men, including two volunteer firefighters, had previously died from severe burns sustained while battling blazes.
Currently, there are 23 major fires at the second-highest regional emergency level, Civil Protection Director Virginia Barcones told state TV channel RTVE. Beyond this, only a national emergency declaration by the central government could raise the alert.
So far, sparsely populated areas have been hardest hit, but thousands of residents have already been evacuated. The flames have also damaged parts of nature reserves.
On Monday, 15 mainly minor rural roads were closed across the autonomous regions of Castile and Leon, Galicia, Asturias and Extremadura. Some high-speed train service remained suspended for a fifth consecutive day.
Authorities say persistent drought, strong winds, difficult terrain and a prolonged heatwave with temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius are complicating firefighting efforts. Temperatures are expected to drop in many areas by Tuesday. Wildfires have also been burning in neighbouring Portugal, where a firefighter was killed there on Sunday during operations.
Source: Qatar Tribune