Fire brigades of Spain and France under pressure: heat wave leads to raging fires

By Cristiano Antonino Last updated Jul 20, 2022

Firefighters are struggling to contain the wild fires raging out of control in France and Spain

Summer fires, the French front

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Two huge fires that have been devouring the pine forests south of the city of Bordeaux in south-west France for six days have forced the evacuation of some 14,000 people, including many who were supposed to be spending their holidays in campsites.

The fire in La Teste-de-Buch, near the Atlantic coast, forced 10,000 people to flee.

The Gironde regional government said on Sunday that ‘the situation remains unfavourable’ due to gusts of wind that, combined with hot and dry conditions, fuelled further outbreaks overnight.

A second fire near the town of Landiras, south of a valley of vineyards in Bordeaux, forced authorities to evacuate 4,100 people this week, including about 1,900 on Saturday.

Authorities said one flank was brought under control by dumping white sand along a two-kilometre (1.2-mile) stretch. Another flank, however, remains uncontrolled.

Spain, fire brigade working for days to contain fires

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In Spain, firefighters supported by the armed forces’ emergency brigades are trying to put out more than 30 fires that are consuming forests across the country.

The Spanish National Defence Department stated that ‘most’ of its fire-fighting aircraft have been deployed.

Many areas are characterised by rugged and hilly terrain that makes access difficult for ground teams.

Some of the most worrying fires in Spain are concentrated in the western regions of Extremadura and Castilla y León

Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska announced a joint command that will coordinate efforts to fight active fires in neighbouring regions.

Firefighters were unable to stop the advance of a fire that broke out near the city of Cáceres, which is threatening the Monfragüe National Park and has prevented 200 people from returning to their homes.

Another fire in southern Spain, near the city of Malaga, forced the evacuation of another 2,500 people. There are other fires near the central city of Ávila, in north-west Galicia, among other areas.

So far, there have been no fire-related deaths in France or Spain. In Portugal, a pilot of a fire-fighting plane died when his aircraft crashed on Friday.