Large parts of Europe have been struggling with extreme heat and forest fires for days. Temperatures of up to 47 degrees Celsius have already claimed hundreds of lives on the Iberian Peninsula. While temperatures fell in Spain and Portugal yesterday, the heatwave is shifting to northern Europe. According to experts, around half of the territory of the EU is threatened by drought. According to a report by the research center on drought in July, 46 percent of the EU area is “at risk” of drought. A further eleven percent of the area is already on alert due to a lack of rain, with consequences for vegetation and harvest.
Forest fires: Pictures show the extinguishing work in many parts of southern Europe
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Spain: The fires that have been raging since Wednesday last week have destroyed at least 60,000 hectares of forest. “In terms of fire, this is the worst emergency on record,” civil defense director Leonardo Marcos told radio station Cadena Ser. Among other things, “one of the largest known heat waves” contributes to this, which is due to man-made climate change. According to Marcos, six major wildfires were active on Wednesday.
The situation was particularly bad in Zamora, near the border with Portugal, and in Ávila, northwest of Madrid. In these provinces in the Autonomous Community of Castile and León, more than 6,000 people from 32 towns have had to be brought to safety from the flames since Sunday.
Portugal: 659 people have already died as a result of the heat wave with temperatures of up to 47 degrees. According to the Ministry of Health, the highest level of excess mortality was 440 deaths in one day. The weather service, meanwhile, warned that 50 communities – mainly in the north and center – could be at risk from the blaze of several wildfires.
France: A suspect has been arrested during investigations into a forest fire in the western French department of Gironde, which has already destroyed 12,000 hectares of forest. Two large forest fires are currently raging in the Gironde. Together, the fires destroyed around 19,300 hectares of forest, around 34,000 people – residents and tourists – had to be brought to safety.
Italy: There is no end in sight to the hot temperatures in Italy either. For today, the meteorologists have declared red alert for other cities. Temperatures of 39 to 41 degrees are expected in Milan, Bolzano, Pavia, Bologna, Ferrara, Florence, Bologna, Pavia, Rome, Perugia and Genoa.
Video: OÖN editor Clemens Schuhmann reports from Modena
Great Britain: Temperatures surpassed 40 degrees for the first time since records began. 40.2 degrees Celsius were already measured at midday at London’s Heathrow Airport, as the weather service Met Office announced on Tuesday. Numerous railway companies ceased operations; London Tube had limited service. The road surface burst on several freeways. In London, the Supreme Court closed because of the heat. At least 170 schools sent their students home, and hospitals canceled numerous operations.
Germany: Our neighbors also reached 40 degrees Celsius yesterday. The west and southwest of the country were particularly hard hit by the heat. In Germany, too, the fire brigades are fighting a major fire. In Sauerland (North Rhine-Westphalia), an area of more than 30,000 square meters is on fire – an area about the size of four football pitches. The forest fire risk index of the weather service is in many regions in NRW at the second highest level 4: “high risk”. In the West, even the highest level applies.
Netherlands: Because of the intense heat, the largest Dutch supermarket chain, Albert Heijn, did not deliver any purchases to customers yesterday afternoon. With expected maximum temperatures of up to 40 degrees, it is irresponsible to send the drivers onto the road, the company said. Because of the high temperatures, many roads and bridges also had to be cooled. An unusual sight in the record heat are gritters on the streets. But the salt isn’t spread because it’s slippery, but to cool the asphalt. The salt removes moisture from the air, which in turn cools the asphalt.
EU plans to purchase firefighting aircraft
In view of the accumulation of forest fires, the European Union wants to buy fire-fighting aircraft. Talks would be held with several manufacturers, said the EU Commissioner for Crisis Protection, Janez Lenarcic, on Tuesday. “The planes are procured by the member states, but financed 100 percent by the European Union.” Lenarcic did not say which manufacturers will be commissioned because the contracts have not yet been signed.
The EU is currently coordinating and financing the use of twelve firefighting aircraft and one helicopter, which can be used by the Member States. So far this year, the Union has received five requests for help from its member states, compared to nine in 2021. The fire-fighting aircraft have been in use in Portugal, France and Slovenia since June. In addition, 200 European firefighters have been deployed to Greece to support local teams.
In 2021, more than half a million hectares of forest were lost due to fires. Devastating forest fires are currently raging, especially in western France and on the Iberian Peninsula. Record heat and strong winds make fighting the conflagration particularly difficult.
Source: Nachrichten
