Spain declared a national emergency in parts of central Spain on Friday and requested assistance from the European Union as multiple wildfires raged amid an intense summer heatwave, reported Xinhua.
The declaration covers the Madrid region and the neighboring province of Avila, placing the central government in charge of coordinating firefighting operations and mobilizing state, regional and local emergency resources.
Spain has requested four firefighting aircraft through the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism. Greek authorities have confirmed they will dispatch two Canadair CL-415 amphibious firefighting aircraft to support the firefighting efforts.
Wildfires remain active in several parts of Spain, including the provinces of Toledo, Guadalajara and Avila, with firefighters continuing to battle the blazes under high temperatures and strong winds.
According to Spanish national television RTVE, wildfires have burned 131,800 hectares of land across the country so far this year, making Spain the hardest-hit country in Europe by wildfires this year.
63,000 people evacuated or confined
More than 63,000 people have been evacuated or ordered to remain indoors as multiple wildfires continued to spread across central Spain on Friday, with authorities warning that one of the country's largest active blazes has exceeded current firefighting capacity.
The national emergency remains in effect in the Madrid region and the neighboring province of Avila, where several major fires have merged into a single large wildfire driven by extreme heat, strong winds and dry vegetation.
Carlos Novillo, Madrid's regional minister for environment, said the fire had reached its "most critical moment" and was now "beyond extinction capacity" under current conditions, adding that firefighting efforts were focused on protecting populated areas.
Spanish authorities warned that the wildfire southwest of Madrid could eventually connect with the blaze burning in neighboring Avila province, potentially creating an even larger fire front. Madrid regional President Isabel Diaz Ayuso said the fires had burned around 12,000 hectares in the region.
Authorities are investigating the cause of one of the major fires in Avila province. The Civil Guard has detained one suspect and is investigating another person over possible negligence involving heavy machinery.
- Spain
- Wildfire
Source: www.dailyfinland.fi
