IN PICS: Wildfire rages in Galicia after spark from high-voltage power line
Firefighting crews aided by lighter winds made progress Wednesday in their battle against a wildfire which broke out in northwestern Spain amid unusually warm weather, officials said.
Hundreds of firefighters and soldiers backed by seven helicopters and five water-dropping planes were fighting the blaze which broke out on Monday near the village of San Xoan de Laino in the northwestern region of Galicia, the regional government said in a statement.
Officials evacuated two schools in the area on Tuesday because of the advancing flames but the blaze was no longer threatening built-up areas, it added.
Incendio en en la parroquia de San Xoán de Laíño, Dodro https://t.co/TaqlvDdgfj pic.twitter.com/0xoIlzDkkr
— Teleame Galicia (@TeleameGalicia) March 26, 2019
A spark from a high-voltage power line is the "most probable" cause of the wildfire, which was then fuelled by strong winds, the vice president of the regional government of Galicia, Alfonso Rueda, told local television.
Authorities in Galicia estimate the blaze has so far ravaged around 850 acres (2,100 acres) of land, making it the worst wildfires since deadly blazes hit the region in October 2017.
The #wildfire #IFLaíñoDodro has been partially captured by #Sentinel2 in its last overpass
Vista parcial de #IFLaiñoDodro captada ayer por #Sentinel2??? pic.twitter.com/Cgidsi1PIh
— Copernicus EU (@CopernicusEU) March 27, 2019
Firefighters said lighter winds had helped them get the upper hand against the blaze although they cautioned temperatures remained high.
??O #IFLaíñoDodro é xa o maior incendio desde o desastre de outubro de 2017. Afectaba a case 1.000 hectáreas a última hora do martes. Máis info ⬇️https://t.co/sGL7VM3cNH pic.twitter.com/JtjhkKwa60
— GCiencia (@GC_GCiencia) March 26, 2019
???
Logran contener el devastador #IIFF iniciado el lunes a última hora de la tarde, en la parroquia de #Laiño, ayuntamiento de #Dodro
Los equipos de extinción están enfriando la zona, pero no hay columnas de humo ni focos activos#IFLaiñoDodro https://t.co/gV0Xc73tJI pic.twitter.com/jx3yZgenQz
— El Batefuegos (@El_Batefuegos) March 27, 2019
Temperatures are forecast to hit 29 degrees (84 Fahrenheit) on Wednesday in some parts of Galicia, which is heavily wooded in native oaks and pines and has large areas of imported eucalyptus plantations.
4:28 Aviòns traballando no #IFLaíñoDodro @4gotas_com pic.twitter.com/5uaqIPHMh8
— Elpidio Costa (@elpidiocb) March 26, 2019
Another three smaller fires were active in other parts of Galicia which had so far destroyed a total of around 140 hectares, including one which affects a national park.
#IFLaíñoDodro #Rianxo ... pic.twitter.com/gstszCSWO4
— loureiro (@shharv) March 26, 2019
Last month was the second driest February this century in Spain, according to national weather office Aemet.
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Hundreds of firefighters and soldiers backed by seven helicopters and five water-dropping planes were fighting the blaze which broke out on Monday near the village of San Xoan de Laino in the northwestern region of Galicia, the regional government said in a statement.
Officials evacuated two schools in the area on Tuesday because of the advancing flames but the blaze was no longer threatening built-up areas, it added.
Incendio en en la parroquia de San Xoán de Laíño, Dodro https://t.co/TaqlvDdgfj pic.twitter.com/0xoIlzDkkr
— Teleame Galicia (@TeleameGalicia) March 26, 2019
A spark from a high-voltage power line is the "most probable" cause of the wildfire, which was then fuelled by strong winds, the vice president of the regional government of Galicia, Alfonso Rueda, told local television.
Authorities in Galicia estimate the blaze has so far ravaged around 850 acres (2,100 acres) of land, making it the worst wildfires since deadly blazes hit the region in October 2017.
The #wildfire #IFLaíñoDodro has been partially captured by #Sentinel2 in its last overpass
— Copernicus EU (@CopernicusEU) March 27, 2019
Vista parcial de #IFLaiñoDodro captada ayer por #Sentinel2??? pic.twitter.com/Cgidsi1PIh
Firefighters said lighter winds had helped them get the upper hand against the blaze although they cautioned temperatures remained high.
??O #IFLaíñoDodro é xa o maior incendio desde o desastre de outubro de 2017. Afectaba a case 1.000 hectáreas a última hora do martes. Máis info ⬇️https://t.co/sGL7VM3cNH pic.twitter.com/JtjhkKwa60
— GCiencia (@GC_GCiencia) March 26, 2019
???
— El Batefuegos (@El_Batefuegos) March 27, 2019
Logran contener el devastador #IIFF iniciado el lunes a última hora de la tarde, en la parroquia de #Laiño, ayuntamiento de #Dodro
Los equipos de extinción están enfriando la zona, pero no hay columnas de humo ni focos activos#IFLaiñoDodro https://t.co/gV0Xc73tJI pic.twitter.com/jx3yZgenQz
Temperatures are forecast to hit 29 degrees (84 Fahrenheit) on Wednesday in some parts of Galicia, which is heavily wooded in native oaks and pines and has large areas of imported eucalyptus plantations.
4:28 Aviòns traballando no #IFLaíñoDodro @4gotas_com pic.twitter.com/5uaqIPHMh8
— Elpidio Costa (@elpidiocb) March 26, 2019
Another three smaller fires were active in other parts of Galicia which had so far destroyed a total of around 140 hectares, including one which affects a national park.
#IFLaíñoDodro #Rianxo ... pic.twitter.com/gstszCSWO4
— loureiro (@shharv) March 26, 2019
Last month was the second driest February this century in Spain, according to national weather office Aemet.
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