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| Hundreds of firefighters tackle blaze in north-east Spain | Hundreds of firefighters tackle blaze in north-east Spain |
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| More than 500 firefighters and soldiers are working to bring a huge forest fire under control in north-eastern Spain as the historic early summer heatwave intensifies across Europe. | More than 500 firefighters and soldiers are working to bring a huge forest fire under control in north-eastern Spain as the historic early summer heatwave intensifies across Europe. |
| The fire, in the Catalan province of Tarragona, has been fanned by strong winds and high temperatures and has so far burned across 5,000 hectares (12,355 acres) of land. | |
| Fifty-three residents have been evacuated from their homes, five roads remain cut off and the civil protection authorities have warned people not to enter the area unless absolutely necessary. | |
| There are also reports that hundreds of sheep have died in the smoke and flames. | There are also reports that hundreds of sheep have died in the smoke and flames. |
| “We’re facing a serious fire on a scale not seen for 20 years,” the region’s interior minister, Miquel Buch, said in a tweet. “It could burn through 20,000 hectares. Let’s be very aware that any carelessness could lead to a catastrophe.” | “We’re facing a serious fire on a scale not seen for 20 years,” the region’s interior minister, Miquel Buch, said in a tweet. “It could burn through 20,000 hectares. Let’s be very aware that any carelessness could lead to a catastrophe.” |
| The 350 local firefighters battling the blaze have been joined by 221 specialists from Spain’s military emergency unit, as well as planes, helicopters, tractors and other heavy machinery. | The 350 local firefighters battling the blaze have been joined by 221 specialists from Spain’s military emergency unit, as well as planes, helicopters, tractors and other heavy machinery. |
| In a statement early on Thursday morning, the Catalan government said the fire was expected to spread as temperatures climbed throughout the day and was on course to burn through 20,000 hectares. | In a statement early on Thursday morning, the Catalan government said the fire was expected to spread as temperatures climbed throughout the day and was on course to burn through 20,000 hectares. |
| “From the initial moments, the fire spread rapidly in a north-easterly direction, driven by the wind,” it said. | “From the initial moments, the fire spread rapidly in a north-easterly direction, driven by the wind,” it said. |
| “Last night the fire had a 128km (80 mile), 14km-long (nine-mile) perimeter, and had affected some 3,600 hectares (8,896 acres) across several municipalities.” | |
| The head of the regional fire service said it was “hard to be optimistic” at the moment. | |
| “The terrain is complicated, which causes a lot of problems, and the weather conditions aren’t favourable,” David Borrell told Catalunya Ràdio. | |
| “That’s tiring us out and meaning we have to work hard to achieve our objectives.” | |
| The fire is thought to have been started by poorly stored chicken manure on a farm in the Torre de l’Espanyol municipality of Tarragona. | |
| “Our main theory is that a heap of dung self-combusted, producing a flame that spread, reaching fuel and starting the fire,” Marc Costa, the head of the regional wildlife rangers, told the Catalan radio station RAC-1. | “Our main theory is that a heap of dung self-combusted, producing a flame that spread, reaching fuel and starting the fire,” Marc Costa, the head of the regional wildlife rangers, told the Catalan radio station RAC-1. |
| On Wednesday night, Spain’s acting prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, thanked the emergency workers for their efforts, adding: “Concerned by the reports reaching us from Tarragona and for the families that have been evacuated.” | On Wednesday night, Spain’s acting prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, thanked the emergency workers for their efforts, adding: “Concerned by the reports reaching us from Tarragona and for the families that have been evacuated.” |
| Temperatures in some of Spanish regions are expected to rise above 43C (109F) on Thursday and Friday. | Temperatures in some of Spanish regions are expected to rise above 43C (109F) on Thursday and Friday. |
| Authorities have warned that temperatures could reach 45C in parts of the continent by Saturday as a plume of hot air moves north from the Sahara, sucked northwards by a stalled storm over the Atlantic and high pressure in central Europe. | Authorities have warned that temperatures could reach 45C in parts of the continent by Saturday as a plume of hot air moves north from the Sahara, sucked northwards by a stalled storm over the Atlantic and high pressure in central Europe. |
| Parts of Britain are expected to experience hot temperatures on Saturday, with a high of 32C expected in London. | Parts of Britain are expected to experience hot temperatures on Saturday, with a high of 32C expected in London. |
| Spain | Spain |
| Natural disasters and extreme weather | Natural disasters and extreme weather |
| Wildfires | Wildfires |
| Europe | Europe |
| news | news |
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