(Bloomberg) — Thousands of firefighters worked overnight to contain dozens of deadly wildfires burning across Spain and Portugal as heat and gusty winds spread blazes through dry brush, forests and crops.
Extremely dangerous conditions blanket nearly all of Spain, sparking 42 fires in northwestern, central and southern parts of the country. Thousands of people have been evacuated. High-speed train service between Madrid and Galicia was suspended and about 15 roads and highways have been shut down. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Sunday called for a nationwide pact to combat what he called an accelerating climate emergency.
The Iberian Peninsula this weekend became the hardest hit by wildfires that have broken out across Europe following four major heat waves this summer, with blazes breaking out from the UK and France through Greece, Italy and Turkey. Climate change has made high summer temperatures more frequent and intense in Europe, the world’s fastest-warming continent.
The heat is starting to ease across much of the peninsula, but Spain forecaster AEMET said unusually high temperatures are set to linger on Monday in the south, with red alerts in place along the eastern coast, where daytime highs could reach 44C (111F).
Spain’s military has mobilized thousands of troops to help fight the fires, which have burned at least 1,150 square kilometers (444 square miles), according to state broadcaster RTVE.
“These fires are unparalleled in Spain,” Defense Minister Margarita Robles said on RTVE. “We have to accept that there are places where fire will not be able to be controlled unless there is a change in weather.”
In northern Portugal, more than 2,000 firefighters were deployed to battle five active wildfires burning Monday near Coimbra and Porto. One firefighter died and another four were injured on Sunday in a road accident on their way to the fire in Fundao, near the border with Spain.
Local authorities in Covilha said one fire was out of control and spreading quickly on two fronts. IPMA, Portugal’s government forecaster, declared the highest fire alert for more than 80 districts spanning nearly half the country. The dangerous fire conditions also includes the beachy southern enclave of Algarve at the height of the region’s tourist season.
Two firefighting planes sent by the Swedish government are set to arrive in Portugal on Monday, authorities said.
Spain’s fires have become a focus of political bickering. Three regions hit particularly hard — Galicia, Castile and Leon, and Extremadura — are controlled by the opposition conservative Popular Party, with politicians from its far-right junior coalition partner Vox often denying climate change.
Sanchez urged the country to leave the climate emergency out of political fighting and said he’ll present a proposal next month to increase cooperation in all levels of government to enhance the country’s readiness for disasters.
–With assistance from Sabrina Nelson Garcinuño and Sofia Horta e Costa.
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