The United Kingdom decrees the emergency for the first time due to high temperatures, while Spain, Portugal, France, Italy or Greece face a wave of fires that affects the entire south of the continent
The extreme temperatures and the wave of fires spread throughout Europe, especially in the southern area of the continent. In addition to Spain, these are the most affected European countries.
United Kingdom
First state of emergency in history
Two women cool off in central London. /
The British government has declared a national state of emergency for the first time due to the record temperatures expected for Monday and Tuesday, especially in the center and east of the country. Temperatures of 40 degrees are expected, which according to the British Ministry of Health, illness and death can occur among all ages of the population, and “not only in high-risk groups.”
Portugal
10,000 hectares burned
A firefighter tries to put out one of the fires in Portugal. /
The entire country is at extreme fire risk. The Prime Minister, Antonio Costa, acknowledged on Thursday the seriousness of the situation that is reflected in a dozen active fires throughout the country. Costa even declared his understanding of it because Spain cannot lend to the neighboring country by having its troops dedicated to fires such as those in Extremadura or Andalusia. A pilot died this Friday when his plane crashed while trying to put out the flames. So far, nearly 10,000 hectares have already burned. In the neighboring country, more hectares have already burned than in all of 2021.
France
The southwest of the country burns
Fire in the Landes, southwestern France. /
The heat wave and its effects on forest fires have also reached southwestern France. In the neighboring country, more than 12,000 people have already been evacuated due to the advance of the flames. The worst, however, is yet to come. Forecasts point to temperatures rising this weekend.
Italy
The fire devastates the north and center of the peninsula
Fire in Nago, northern Italy. /
Since the beginning of the week, the fires have wreaked havoc in the north and center of the country. The fear is what may come from now on in the southern part of Italy, much drier and equipped with fewer means of prevention and extinction compared to the prosperous north of the country. Added to the wave of fires is a drought that has not been recorded in 70 years and which further complicates the fight against the fire.
Greece
Fire, a permanent risk
Fire on the island of Samos on July 13.
Gracia is one of the countries most affected by fires summer after summer. On this occasion, the Greek firefighting services have had to deal with a fire on the island of Crete, the cradle of the Hellenic civilization and of great archaeological value. Only throughout this week, firefighters have fought with a hundred fires in the southern part of the Mediterranean country.
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