According to Reuters, in Spain, a blaze on the outskirts of Madrid claimed the life of a man working at a horse stable and briefly threatened homes and farms before being contained. Further south in Tarifa, near the Moroccan coast, more than 2,000 residents were evacuated after flames spread through eucalyptus and pine forests. Helicopters dropped seawater over the blaze, which was captured on video by beachgoers and celebrity chef José Andrés.
Spain’s Interior Ministry declared a “pre-emergency,” placing national services on standby. Nearly 1,000 armed forces personnel are already assisting. Castile and Leon, the country’s largest region, reported 32 active wildfires on Tuesday, with five posing a direct threat to nearby populations. Evacuations included 3,780 people in León province and over 600 in seven towns in Zamora.
In northern Portugal, more than 1,300 firefighters and 14 aircraft were deployed against three large fires, one of which in Vila Real has burned for 10 days. Local mayor Favaios appealed for more national support, while Morocco sent two firefighting planes to replace Portuguese aircraft under repair. Although rain and thunderstorms were forecast, the past week’s heatwave had already fuelled extensive damage.
Across the Balkans, Albania battled 19 separate wildfires, with assistance from helicopters sent by the Czech Republic, Slovakia and the United Arab Emirates. In neighbouring Montenegro, Serbian and Croatian aircraft helped contain a fire near the capital Podgorica, where smoke blanketed the city.
Greece struggles with wildfires on in Zakynthos and Cephalonia
In Greece, gale-force winds drove wildfires on the Ionian islands of Zakynthos and Cephalonia, forcing the evacuation of villages and a hotel, while another major blaze near Vonitsa threatened homes.
In Turkey, a large fire in Canakkale province entered its second day, following mass evacuations on Monday that closed the local airport and the Dardanelles Strait. While most fires in Ezine and Ayvacik districts were brought under control, flames persisted closer to the city centre, authorities said.
With temperatures expected to remain high and rainfall scarce across much of southern Europe, emergency services are warning that the wildfire threat will persist in the days ahead.
Tags: Mediterranean
