Spain, Germany battle wildfires amid unusual heatwave in Europe

Spain and Germany are facing wildfires amid an unusual heat wave in Western Europe. The worst damage in Spain has been in the northwest province of Zamora, where over 30,000 hectares have been consumed, according to regional authorities.Spanish authorities said that after three days of high temperatures, high winds and low humidity, some respite came with dropping temperatures Sunday morning. That allowed for about 650 firefighters supported by water-dumping aircraft to establish a perimeter around the fire that started in Zamora’s Sierra de la Culebra. Spain has been on alert for an outbreak of intense wildfires as the country swelters under record temperatures at many points in the country for June. Authorities said that gusting winds of up 70 kph that changed course erratically, combined with temperatures near 40 degrees Celsius, made it very tough for crews. “The fire was able to cross a reservoir some 500 metres wide and reach the other side, to give you an idea of the difficulties we faced,” Juan Suárez-Quiñones, an official for Castilla y León region, told Spanish state television TVE.

In Germany, strong winds have been fanning the blaze about 50 kilometres southwest of Berlin, prompting officials to declare an emergency on Saturday. Villagers in Frohnsdorf, Tiefenbrunnen and Klausdorf were told to immediately seek shelter at a community centre in the nearby town of Treuenbrietzen. “This is not a drill,” town officials tweeted. Germany has seen numerous wildfires in recent days following a period of intense heat and little rain. The country’s national weather agency said the mercury topped 38 degrees Celsius at some measuring stations in the east on Sunday. German officials said that residents of three villages near Berlin were ordered to leave their homes because of an approaching wildfire on Sunday.

Experts link the abnormally hot weather in Europe to climate change. Mercury rose above 40 degress Celsius in many Spanish cities throughout the week which is usually expected in August. A lack of rainfall this year combined with gusting winds have produced the conditions for the fires