Forest fires in the Mediterranean: no end in sight with fires in Italy, fires broke out in Spain

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Fire-fighting aircraft in action: fighting a forest fire on Monte Catillo near Tivoli

Photo: Massimo Percossi / EPA

Politicians in Italy discuss how to fight the forest fires.

The regional president of Calabria wants to convene mayors and representatives of the fire-affected places in the southern Italian region in the morning, according to a statement.

The assembly should provide information about the current forest fire situation and take further measures against the fire.

In Calabria, the flames have destroyed areas in the area of ​​the protected Aspromonte National Park in recent days.

So far, four forest fire deaths have been reported in the region.

Support from France

On the islands of Sicily and Sardinia, the civil defense again issued the highest forest fire warning level for large parts for Friday. Looking at the thermometer, the experts expected values ​​of around 40 degrees at the top. In the rest of Italy, too, residents and tourists have to be prepared for extreme temperatures. The Ministry of Health warned of a heat wave in 15 cities. It should stay hot even on the weekend. According to the ministry, temperatures could have an impact on health even in healthy people.

The fire brigades are still on duty against the numerous forest fires. The civil protection authority spoke of a total of 33 requests on Thursday for the use of fire-fighting aircraft, nine each from Sicily and Calabria. France again sent airmen to support the fire fighting in Italy from the air.

The fires keep spiraling out of control and sometimes threaten buildings.

So far, the flames have blazed in many nature reserves, forests and fields and destroyed crops and houses.

In Sicily, for example, there was a fire near the village of Linguaglossa in a nature reserve on the Etna volcano, which is popular with day trippers.

A resident from the area told the news agency dpa: "We are used to forest fires, but this year the situation is definitely worse." August is considered a particularly hot and dry month in Italy.

Arson as the main cause

Heat alone does not immediately cause fires.

However, drought and winds ensure that the flames spread quickly.

Many fires are suspected of being arson or careless behavior.

Politicians in Italy have recently called for the penalties for arson to be tightened.

In Algeria, too, the government assumes "planned" actions in the fires, which have so far killed dozen people.

22 suspects have since been arrested, said President Abdelmadjid Tebboune in a speech to the nation on state television.

In the Tizi Ouzou region, which was particularly hard hit by the fires, an angry mob is said to have set a man on fire and burned him alive.

Apparently the crowd thought he was an arsonist.

The act caused great horror in the population.

According to media reports, the allegations also turned out to be false - the man had come to the region to help with fire fighting.

An official assessment has not yet been made.

The prosecutor opened an investigation into the incident.

According to Tebbounes, two fire-fighting planes from Spain and three from Switzerland should arrive on Friday.

According to the head of state Emmanuel Macron, France had previously sent two fire-fighting planes and one command aircraft to the region.

The risk of forest fires in Spain and Portugal is increasing

Several fires have also broken out in northeastern Spain.

The Spanish Ministry of the Environment announced on Twitter that it had dispatched several fire-fighting planes to the regions of Aragon, Rioja and Catalonia.

The biggest fire was in Catalonia, where 41 hectares of protected forest on the coast of the province of Tarragona were burning.

In both Spain and Portugal, the authorities upgraded the risk of fire.

The forest fire risk in Spain on Friday was "extreme," said the national meteorological authority.

The Portuguese weather service warned for Friday of the "highest" fire risk in the north and center of the country and parts of the Algarve in southern Portugal.

bbr / dpa / AFP