Over forty forest blazes simultaneously engulf Spanish landscapes, with German firefighting crews on the ground to assist.
Spain Battles Worst Forest Fires in Decades with International Aid
Spain is currently grappling with its worst forest fires in decades, with several regions in the northwest severely affected. The fires, sometimes several meters high, have forced thousands of people to evacuate their homes and caused devastation to nature reserves.
In an effort to combat the fires, the central government has mobilized hundreds of additional soldiers to supplement the military's special firefighting unit. Several European countries have come to Spain's aid, sending helpers, firefighting aircraft, and firefighting helicopters.
France, Italy, and Finland have dispatched firefighting aircraft, while the Netherlands, Czech Republic, and Slovakia have sent firefighting helicopters. This aid, provided via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, includes water-dropping planes, helicopters, and specialized personnel from multiple European partners.
The fire in Jarilla, Spain, has already burned at least 15,000 hectares. Provisional estimates by EFFIS show that over 3,800 square kilometers of nature have been destroyed since the beginning of the year. The fires, described by a Spanish incident commander as a "fire tsunami", pose a significant danger to firefighters due to strong and rapidly changing winds, some of which are generated by the fires themselves.
Four people have died in Spain, and two in Portugal due to the forest fires. In Galicia, four firefighters were injured, one severely, on Monday evening. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska visited Jarilla to assess the situation. Sánchez interrupted his summer vacation to visit several affected areas due to the devastating fires in the north and west of the country.
German firefighters from North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony are deploying in western Spain to help combat the fires. The Autonomous Communities of Castile and León, Galicia, Extremadura, and Asturias are the most affected regions. Rain is not expected in the coming days, according to the weather service, adding to the challenges faced by firefighters.
In Spain, the Autonomous Communities are responsible for preventing and fighting forest fires. The Spanish government plans to declare the areas most affected by the fires as disaster zones to provide swift state aid for reconstruction. High-speed train traffic between Madrid and Galicia remains suspended for the sixth consecutive day.
The destruction of parts of nature reserves is a significant concern, as the fires continue to rage across the country. The international aid and support have been crucial in the fight against the fires, but much work remains to be done to bring the situation under control.
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