Firefighters in northeastern Spain are actively combating forest fires with assistance from 30 aircraft, following a large blaze that necessitated the evacuation of approximately 1,000 people. This situation occurs amid widespread drought conditions across Europe, exacerbated by recent heatwaves that have dried out vegetation across much of the continent. Successive periods of extreme temperatures have reached unprecedented levels across large parts of Europe, contributing to water shortages, crop damage, and an elevated number of fatalities.
According to Reuters, the average temperature across Europe today was 27.5 degrees Celsius, which is 4.2 degrees higher than the average maximum temperature recorded for July 17 between 1961 and 1990. In France, the drought has intensified since late May. High Mediterranean Sea temperatures have reportedly threatened a nuclear power plant in the south by making the water unsuitable for reactor cooling.
Meanwhile, low water levels on the Rhine River in Germany have disrupted river transport, increasing associated costs. Although some areas are experiencing a temporary drop in temperatures, powerful storms have emerged. Two fatalities were reported in central and eastern France; one victim died after a falling tree, and another was found in a factory destroyed by fire in the east, which was attributed to a lightning strike.
Furthermore, French grid operator Enedis confirmed that 53,000 households were without electricity, with the most significant outages in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Nouvelle-Aquitaine regions. The Spanish meteorological service cautioned that temperatures are set to rise again on Sunday, with areas in Andalusia and La Mancha expecting 42 to 44 degrees Celsius due to hot air from North Africa. A major forest fire near Ores in Aragon spread over more than 12,000 hectares on Friday night, requiring assistance from soldiers, helicopters, and five firefighting aircraft.
The World Health Organization had previously warned that Europe faced difficult weeks due to the developing heatwaves.
Topics: #fires #europe #after
