Forest fires sweep Spain, Portugal and Greece during the continuous heat wave Environmental news

Forest fires in southern Europe are increasing in a burning wave and major religious holidays.

Firefighters in Spain, Portugal and Greece are fighting intense forest fires, as dry and thick thermal fuels are declining throughout the region, and coincides with the main religious holidays, where global warming leaves its mark on Europe.

Spain faced 14 major fires on Friday, said Virginia Barbichon, head of emergency services, said that temperatures are expected to rise at the end of the week.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez warned on Friday, saying: “Today again it will be a very difficult day with a severe danger of new fires.”

The Mysore Meteorology Agency put most of the country under the extreme alerts of the danger of the fire, especially in the north and west, where the largest fire broke out. The current heat wave is expected to last, with temperatures up to 40 ° C (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in several days this month until Monday.

In Galicia, the fires closed many highways and stopped high -speed rail services to Madrid. European Forest Information system in the European Union reported that this year’s forest fires have already burned 158,000 hectares (390,000 acres), a space of Metropolitan London.

On Friday, the assumption feast was distinguished in Spain and Portugal, a major Catholic holiday that is usually observed with family gatherings and processions. In Portugal, nearly 4,000 firefighters fought seven active fires, as the authorities extended a state of alert until Sunday. The government also sought to help the European Union under the Civil Protection Mechanism.

A day ago, Spain received a sarcophagus in Canadair from the European Union, the first time that firefighting assistance has been active in emergency situations.

Elsewhere in southern Europe, Greece continued the struggle with a large incendiary incendiary for four days on the island of Chews. There were many evacuation overnight with the spread of fire in the northern region of the island. Two planes and a helicopter plane shot down the water during the quiet winds on Friday.

After the destroyed fires earlier this week in western Greece, the firefighting service remained at a state of high alert outside Athens and in the southern regions, where strong winds and high temperatures increased.

Through the Balkans and South Europe, the demand for the European Union joint firefighting resources has increased this year. Bulgaria, Montenegro and Albania have called for assistance in recent days, as the system was already deployed as in the fire season last year.

The Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomeo, the spiritual president of the Orthodox Christians in the world, expressed his solidarity with the victims of the wildfire during the prayers for the sake of the Virgin Mary, one of the most important days of the holiday in faith.