Firefighters in Spain battle blaze amid unusual heat wave

Barcelona: Firefighters in Spain on Sunday struggled to contain wildfires in several parts of the country, which is suffering a heat wave unusual for this time of the year. The worst damage has been in the northwest province of Zamora where over 25,000 hectares (61,000 acres) have been consumed, regional authorities said.

The blaze that started in Zamora’s Sierra de la Culebra has forced the evacuation of at least 10 villages, although the drop in temperatures overnight has helped efforts somewhat. More than 500 firefighters are supported by water-dumping planes and helicopters in the sparsely populated area. Authorities have been on alert for an outbreak of intense wildfires, with Spain sweltering under record temperatures at many points in the country for June.

Experts link the abnormally hot period for Europe to climate change. Thermometers have risen above 40 degrees Celsius in many Spanish cities throughout the week — temperatures usually expected in August. A lack of rainfall this year combined with gusting winds have produced the conditions for the fires. Authorities said that gusting winds of up 70 kph that changed course erratically, combined with temperatures near 40 Celsius, made it very tough for crews. —AP