Forest fires throughout Spain and Portugal as a record of burning land Climate News

Thousands of firefighters, backed by soldiers and kissing aircraft with water, fought more than 20 major strange fires throughout western Spain, where officials say the standard land area has already been burned.

Spain and the neighboring Portugal in particular were affected by the forest fires stimulated by the heat and droughts, which were blamed for climate change, which struck southern Europe.

Two firefighters were killed on Sunday – one in each country, both of them in road accidents – the number of deaths was taken to two in Portugal and four in Spain.

The head of the Civil Protection in Spain, Virginia Barbions, told the TVE TV screen that 23 of the fire was classified as the “second operating level”, which means that they are a direct threat to nearby societies.

Fires, which are now entering their second week, are concentrated in the western regions of Castile, Lyon, Galicia, and Dadora, where thousands of people were forced to flee from their homes.

More than 343,000 hectares (848,000 acres) of land – equivalent to nearly half a million football fields – this year in Spain, were destroyed, recording a new national record, according to the European fire information system (EFFIS).

The previous record of 306,000 hectares (756,142 acres) was set in the same period three years ago.

Help from the outside

Spain is assisted with a firefighting plane from France, Italy, Slovakia and the Netherlands, while Portugal receives air support from Sweden and Morocco.

However, the size, intensity of fires and smoke density made “air mobile air” difficult.

Through the border in Portugal, about 2000 firefighters were deployed throughout the north and in the center of the country on Monday, with about half of them in the town of Arganil.

About 216,000 hectares (533,747 acres) of lands have been destroyed throughout Portugal since the beginning of the year.

Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro said that the country has endured 24 days of weather conditions “unprecedented intensity”, with high temperatures and winds.

He added: “We are in a state of war, and we must win this battle.”

Officials in both countries expressed his hope that the weather will turn to help treat fires.

The Spanish Meteorological Agency said that the free wave, which witnessed the temperatures of 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit) in parts of the country, were approaching.