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Forest fires in Catalonia
Photo: ALBERT GEA / REUTERS
The authorities of Catalonia in north-eastern Spain have issued a major alert for all fire brigades due to forest fires.
Three forest fires are raging in the region at the same time.
So far, a total of around 1,100 hectares of forest and bush land have been destroyed, the fire brigade said.
In addition to the professional fire brigades, helicopters, drones and the military are also deployed.
The flames are fueled by a heat wave and sometimes strong winds.
The area is also affected by a drought.
The fire brigade is particularly concerned about a fire in the province of Lleida, around 130 kilometers north-west of Barcelona.
Since the fire broke out, more than 500 hectares of forest have been destroyed.
Farmers should cut firebreaks
The authorities called on all farmers in the region to help with their tractors and plows to make firebreaks.
If the flames on the southern flank cannot be stopped, the fire threatens to spread and cover up to 20,000 hectares of forest.
The other, slightly smaller fires were reported from Corbera d'Ebre (Tarragona) and from Castellar de la Ribera (Lleida).
About 300 hectares of forest are affected there.
Spain is currently suffering from an unusually early and prolonged heatwave.
Temperatures of 35 to well over 40 degrees have been measured in many parts of the country since the weekend.
Since the beginning of the year, more than 19,000 hectares of forest and bush land have been burned, the state TV broadcaster RTVE reported on Wednesday, citing data from the European earth observation system Copernicus.
That is about twice as much as the average for the same periods in the years 2006 to 2021.
jpz/dpa