Southern Europe continues to burn: Spain reports the most devastating forest fire year ever
Created: 07/26/2022, 05:15
By: Markus Hofstetter
Forest fires continue to rage in southern Europe.
On Mallorca and in Greece it should be up to 40 degrees this Monday.
Munich – Large parts of Germany continue to suffer from the heat.
So the people in Bavaria on Monday (July 25th) have to adjust to high temperatures of up to 37 degrees.
The German Weather Service (DWD) expects warm summer weather for the rest of the week, but no widespread rain.
There is also a drought in southern Europe and other parts of the world, with some devastating consequences: forest fires are raging.
Forest fires in Greece: Up to 40 degrees and no relief in sight
There is no end in sight to the fires in Greece.
For Monday, the fire brigade issued the second highest warning level for parts of central Greece.
A "very high" risk of forest fires applies to the capital Athens and the surrounding area, as well as to the island of Euboea.
In the rest of the country, the risk is "high".
In the past week, the fire brigade registered more than a hundred sources of fire every day.
According to meteorologists, the drought will continue, the temperatures should remain very high and locally rise to up to 40 degrees.
In some areas there is also strong wind, which fuels the fires.
On Lesbos, for example, villages in the southern part of the island were evacuated at the weekend.
The smoke over the island was so heavy that it could be seen from space, according to the European Earth Observation System Copernicus.
A firefighter and a volunteer try to put out the flames of a forest fire near the seaside resort of Vatera on Lesvos.
(Photo from July 23, 2022) © Eurokinissi/dpa/picture alliance
Forest fires in Spain: Most devastating forest fire year since records began
2022 is already the most devastating forest fire year for Spain since records began.
In the first seven months, flames destroyed around 2,000 square kilometers.
Although the situation is easing, the series of forest fires continues.
A fire in Tenerife is particularly worrying.
According to the authorities, the flames have so far destroyed an area of over 24 square kilometers on the Canary Island.
In the affected area in the north of the island, almost 600 residents of La Guancha and four other communities were rescued on Saturday.
Although a particularly long heat wave only ended a few days ago, extremely high temperatures continue to cause problems for Spaniards and tourists in the country.
In Andalusia in southern Spain, up to 44 degrees were registered on Sunday, in Mallorca the mercury column climbed up to 37 degrees.
For Monday up to 40 degrees are expected for the center and the north-east of the island.
At Ballermann on Playa de Palma, however, it should be "only" 34 degrees warm.
Forest fires in France: partial all-clear on the Atlantic coast
For the fires on France's Atlantic coast, there is now a partial all-clear.
The fire in La Teste-de-Buch is considered extinguished.
All residents were allowed to return to their homes at the weekend, according to the responsible prefecture.
The fire in Landiras, on the other hand, is under control.
However, there are still around 30 active sources of fire and there is a risk that the fire will flare up again, it said.
also read
Video shows large forest fire near German border - flames are already spreading
"Huge forest fire" broke out on Lake Garda - flames rage above a popular holiday resort
Forest fires in the USA: State of emergency declared due to fire near Yosemite National Park
Forest fires are also raging on the other side of the Atlantic in the United States.
In California, a rapidly spreading fire threatens the US National Park Yosemite.
Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in the affected area.
A car is ablaze during the Oak Fire wildfires near US National Park Yosemite.
© Ethan Swope/dpa/picture alliance
The so-called Oak Fire, which raged around 48 square kilometers in the district of Mariposa, destroyed ten buildings and damaged five others, according to the Cal Fire authority responsible for the area.
Almost 2,700 houses are threatened by the fire that broke out on Friday afternoon for reasons that are still unknown.
