Spain and France are fighting wildfires, they are at risk of increasing | Weather News

A wildfire in the Guadalajara region of Spain has burned 32,000 hectares, one of the largest fires in the country.

Spain and France are at high risk of wildfires in the coming days, according to forecasters, as they continue to battle deadly fires already burning in the summer heat.

Spain’s meteorological agency AEMET warned on Wednesday that the risk of wildfires was “high or high” in most parts of Spain and the Balearic Islands.

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Wildfires have already burned more land this year in Europe than the annual average over the past two decades, statistics show. The world’s hottest continent has endured three heatwaves, almost back to back so far this year.

Scientists say that human-driven climate change is increasing the power of heat wavesdrought and wildfires, while also creating conditions for sudden, destructive storms.

Spanish Prime Minister visits Guadalajara which has been destroyed by fire

Firefighters in central Spain are battling a wildfire that has burned 32,000 hectares (79,000 acres) one of the country’s largest fires on record.

The blaze in rural Guadalajara, about 100km (62 miles) north of the capital Madrid, comes less than two weeks after a deadly blaze. destroyed a small immigrant group in southern Spainkilling 13 people including several foreigners.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez visited the fire-ravaged area of ​​Guadalajara on Wednesday and called for cooperation between political parties to tackle climate change.

“Every year we see clearly how climate change kills and destroys the economy in our communities,” said Sanchez in the village of Tamajon. “This is not politics, but science, but reality.”

Spain’s weather agency has warned that the risk of wildfires could increase in the coming days. It urged people to be “extremely cautious” as heavy rains and dust from the Sahara are increasing the risk of an ongoing tornado.

Although the temperature will decrease slightly in some areas on Thursday, a dry westerly wind is expected to drive new temperatures in the Mediterranean areas, where temperatures of 42 to 44 degrees Celsius (108 to 111 degrees Fahrenheit) may be recorded in some areas.

The wars in France are growing

In France, mild temperatures and light winds helped fight a wildfire that has burned 2,500 hectares southeast of the Var, destroyed dozens of homes and forced 400 people to flee their homes, authorities said.

But the risk of more wildfires remains high in western and southwestern France for the rest of the week, forecaster Meteo-France said.

In Var, helicopters were dropping water on the raging fire to try to put it out.

“The situation has become very difficult,” Chief William Vogl, a spokesman for the Var fire department, said on RMC radio. He said the fire was still under control but the wind should be “good”.

The regional director, Simon Babre, said that barbecues were banned, and called on the municipality to stop any plans for summer fireworks.

Officials say another fire is burning in Hautes-Alpes, also in southeastern France.

France, who endured a warm temperatures at the end of JuneIt recorded a record 5,764 deaths between June 17 and July 2, according to officials.

Although the increase in deaths was due to “all causes” – not all linked to heat – officials described the excess deaths among people aged 15 and over as “unprecedented”.

Weather warnings for Italy, Greece, Cyprus

The severe weather continued with warnings and restrictions in some European countries, including Italy, Greece and Cyprus.

In Italy, several fires burned in Sicily on Wednesday, prompting the evacuation of many people.

For several days, Italy’s civil protection agency has announced that all of Sicily is at high risk of wildfires. Winds and temperatures near or above 40C have fueled the fire from near Palermo in the north to Catania in the east and now Agrigento in the west.

In Greece, where temperatures are expected to reach 41C, authorities have banned outdoor activities in the sun during the day.

In Cyprus, which is also used to the summer heat, working outside was prohibited during the afternoon on Wednesday.