Spain battles forest fires as country swelters under heatwave
Firefighters battled wildfires in Spain and Portugal Tuesday as Western Europe faced its second heatwave in less than a month.
The mass of hot air which pushed temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) in large parts of the Iberian Peninsula since Sunday was set to spread to the north and east in the coming days.
In Spain, some 300 firefighters backed by 17 planes and helicopters were battling a wildfire in the eastern region of Extremadura which has ravaged 2,500 hectares of land, local officials said.
Heatwaves have become more frequent due to climate change, scientists say. As global temperatures rise over time, heatwaves are expected to become more intense.
Speaking in parliament, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez promised "more resources" for the fight against forest fires that are being fanned by "the climate emergency the planet is going through".
'It's hell'
Temperatures are forecast to keep rising in Spain until Thursday, with highs of up to 44 Celsius expected in Guadalquivir valley in Seville in the south.
Spain's health ministry warned the "intense heat" could affect people's "vital functions" and provoke problems like heat stroke.
It advised people to drink water frequently, wear light clothes and "remain as long as possible" in the shade or in air-conditioned places.
"It's hell," said Dania Arteaga, a 43-year-old cleaner in a shop in central Madrid, her forehead covered in sweat.
In neighbouring Portugal, firefighters were battling a blaze which has ravaged some 2,000 hectares (4,900 acres) of land in the central municipality of Ourem since Thursday.
The blaze has been brought under control on Monday but it flared up again on Tuesday morning.
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The mass of hot air which pushed temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) in large parts of the Iberian Peninsula since Sunday was set to spread to the north and east in the coming days.
In Spain, some 300 firefighters backed by 17 planes and helicopters were battling a wildfire in the eastern region of Extremadura which has ravaged 2,500 hectares of land, local officials said.
Heatwaves have become more frequent due to climate change, scientists say. As global temperatures rise over time, heatwaves are expected to become more intense.
Speaking in parliament, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez promised "more resources" for the fight against forest fires that are being fanned by "the climate emergency the planet is going through".
'It's hell'
Temperatures are forecast to keep rising in Spain until Thursday, with highs of up to 44 Celsius expected in Guadalquivir valley in Seville in the south.
Spain's health ministry warned the "intense heat" could affect people's "vital functions" and provoke problems like heat stroke.
It advised people to drink water frequently, wear light clothes and "remain as long as possible" in the shade or in air-conditioned places.
"It's hell," said Dania Arteaga, a 43-year-old cleaner in a shop in central Madrid, her forehead covered in sweat.
In neighbouring Portugal, firefighters were battling a blaze which has ravaged some 2,000 hectares (4,900 acres) of land in the central municipality of Ourem since Thursday.
The blaze has been brought under control on Monday but it flared up again on Tuesday morning.
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