As Spain grapples with its largest wildfire on record and France carries out one of Europe’s largest evacuations since World War II, scientists warn that deadly wildfires are becoming increasingly common around the world.
On Tuesday, French authorities evacuated another 4,000 people from Atlantic coast resorts, along with 220,000 others fleeing wildfires blazing in southwest France.
Fresh fires broke out near the Atlantic resort of Grand Crohot, west of Bordeaux, prompting authorities to deploy 23 planes and helicopters to battle the blaze.
“The situation remains complex. We are not out of the woods,” said Sophie Brocas, the top government official in the Gironde coastal region, where Grand Crouhot and Bordeaux are located.
The Gironde wildfire has burned an area four times the size of Paris, and has defied firefighting efforts from a dozen countries.
Evacuees allowed to return to Spain
In Spain, there was relief for evacuees as thousands of residents were allowed to return home after firefighters brought major blazes under control.
However, authorities are on alert for a fourth heat wave with temperatures expected to exceed 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) on Wednesday.
The biggest concern for firefighters in Spain were two large fires that at times came close to merging into a single blaze in the wooded hills west of Madrid.
In Avila, northwest of Madrid, a pyrocumulonimbus cloud was observed above the fire. Scientists describe these clouds as fire-generated storms that form over intense heat sources such as wildfires or volcanic eruptions.
“We feel very angry and helpless. This is something inhumane,” gardener David Gonzalez, 48, said of the destruction caused by the fire in Avila.
Experts fear the blazing fires could get worse due to coming heat waves.
Climate change is increasing wildfires
Scientists say climate change is fueling warming, with wildfires intensifying across Europe in three summers. Warmer temperatures are also lengthening fire seasons and making it harder to control these fires, putting a strain on European countries’ resources.
Currently, the EU only coordinates the deployment of additional resources pooled from its member states when a country requests emergency assistance. However, as fires become more severe on the continent, the bloc called for greater investment in forest management and wildfire prevention.
Brussels is buying its own permanent firefighting fleet.
“Climate change is evolving rapidly. Therefore, our response must evolve equally rapidly,” Hadja Lahbib, the EU’s crisis management commissioner, told Reuters.
Edited by: Darko Janjevic
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