Wildfire rages in Spain, scorching 2,300 hectares of land

Madrid: A large wildfire broke out Friday evening in Spain’s northeastern region of Catalonia, remaining out of control with approximately 2,300 hectares of land burned.

Nearly 10,000 residents in multiple municipalities in Girona province have been evacuated or ordered to shelter in place due to the blaze, and several roads have been temporarily closed. All residents have been reported safe, reports Xinhua news agency.

Strong winds have hampered firefighting efforts and triggered secondary blazes, causing the fire to spread rapidly and reach a nearby nature reserve. Local fire services have deployed more than 400 firefighters, along with multiple helicopters and firefighting aircraft. Spain’s Military Emergency Unit has sent 200 soldiers and 60 vehicles to reinforce the response.

Multiple wildfires continue to burn across parts of France and Spain after a prolonged spell of record-breaking temperatures left vegetation parched and intensified drought conditions across southern Europe.

In France, around 2,000 firefighters were deployed on Thursday to battle several blazes driven by strong winds along the Mediterranean coast. Meanwhile, Spain’s Military Emergency Unit (UME) said it had mobilised more than 100 personnel and around 40 vehicles to assist firefighting operations in the northeastern Aragon region.

Ferran Garcia, head of firefighting operations in the Girona region, said the fire may have grown beyond firefighters’ capacity to extinguish, adding that their priority is to contain the blaze as much as possible and minimise damage.

Citing local police, Spanish media reported that a worker has been detained on suspicion of arson. Preliminary investigations suggest the fire may have been sparked by machinery used during roadwork. The case remains under investigation.

IANS