LISBON, Portugal – Extreme wildfires are raging in parts of Europe, with firefighters battling wildfires in Portugal, Spain and southern France in an unusual heat wave linked to climate change on Wednesday.
According to André Fernandez, Portugal’s chief of civil defense, more than 600 people were killed in the blaze. About 120 people are in need of treatment, and two people – one civilian and one firefighter – were seriously injured, Fernandez said.
Water extension planes helped 1,300 firefighters cope with the blaze in the central part of the country, while another 1,000 managed to contain the blaze.
European heat waves are raging in Spain and France – and Turkey on the other end of the Mediterranean.
More than 800 firefighters have battled two wildfires in the region outside of Bordeaux in southwestern France, the regional emergency service said. The blaze broke out Tuesday near the towns of Landras and La Tes-de-Buch, and firefighters were unable to control it until Wednesday morning.
6,500 people have been displaced from camps and villages in the forest. The extent of the damage is unclear. The two fires destroyed more than 4,400 hectares of land, emergency services said.
Firefighters Images As the fire circulated between trees and meadows, it was blown away by strong winds and blackened the horizon.
The regional administration has banned activities in forested areas. Many regions in southern France are on fire due to hot, dry weather and high winds. A wildfire broke out in the Gardens region of southeastern France last week.
Portugal has long suffered from deadly forest fires. In 2017, wildfires killed more than 100 people. Portugal has improved forest management and firefighting strategies and no one has died in wildfires since.
Last year, Portugal recorded the lowest wildfires since 2011. However, high winds and dry winds in Africa are pushing the Iberian Peninsula to higher temperatures than usual.
The Atlantic nation, which has been on fire since last week, is sending temperatures of 115 degrees Fahrenheit (115 Fahrenheit) on Wednesday and Thursday in the central Alentojo region. Officials say 96 percent of the country was hit by a “severe” or “severe” drought in late June.
Over 7,400 acres, north of Lisbon, Mayor Gonkalo Lops told the Portuguese Broadcasting Corporation.
The Prime Minister of Portugal, Antonio Costa, has said that the cancellation of his trip abroad to deal with emergencies is the key to protecting them.
“In 2017, the country realized that it was important to have enough firefighters, but not enough,” Costa said. “We need to know the source of the problem … Loss of property and mismanagement is one of the biggest threats to forest fires.”
Neighboring Spain hit 109.4 F at several southern cities on Tuesday.
More than 400 people were displaced by a wildfire that engulfed 8,600 acres[8,600 ha]in western Spain on Tuesday.
EU officials warned last week that climate change was behind the continent’s dryest and hottest summer, urging local officials to support wildfires.
Spain’s national weather forecast spokesman Caitano Torres said the “unusual” heat wave and lack of rain have created a favorable environment for fires in recent months.
“These are ideal conditions for a fire to spread, which, when you add a little wind, guarantee you to multiply,” he said.
A fire broke out in the village of Datka Musudiye near the Aegean Sea Resort in southwestern Turkey, according to the provincial administration. He said at least nine helicopters and five helicopters were deployed to fight the blaze.
This article was co-sponsored by Angela Charlton, Renata Brito, and Susan Fraser of the Associated Press.
