FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
Thousands of firefighters are battling blazes in many countries of Southern Europe in the Mediterranean and the Balkans, as another heat wave pushes temperatures near or above 40 degrees Celsius in many areas of the Old Continent, as Reuters points out.
Global warming is causing hotter and drier summers in the Mediterranean region, according to scientists cited by the international agency, with fires increasing every year and sometimes turning into "fire whirlwinds."
The situation in northern Portugal is extremely difficult, with more than 1,300 firefighters, supported by 16 aircraft, trying to bring three major fires under control. One of them, in the Vila Real region, has been burning for ten days. "They are burning us alive, this cannot continue," said Mayor Alexandre Favaios, as three major fires broke out.
"It's been 10 days since our population has been in panic, not knowing when the fire will knock on their door," he added, speaking to the RTP television station. The situation is also critical in Spain, where temperatures reached 44 degrees Celsius and minimal rainfall combined with winds is expected to worsen the fire risk, as Reuters points out.
The country's Interior Ministry has put national services on alert, with nearly 1,000 members of the armed forces already supporting firefighting operations. In addition, rail services between northwestern Galicia and Madrid have been disrupted due to the fires.
In Spain's largest region, Castile and Leon, more than 1,200 firefighters were battling 32 wildfires on Tuesday, forcing thousands of residents to evacuate their homes. The situation is similar in Albania, where, according to Reuters, vast swaths of forest and farmland have been scorched by blazes while 30 fires remain active and spreading, helped by strong winds.
The Defense Ministry said four military helicopters and 80 soldiers were assisting firefighters. It also reported the death of a man suspected of starting a fire in his yard, which then spread.
And in neighboring Montenegro, authorities, supported by helicopters from Serbia and Croatia, managed to control a fire near Podgorica on Tuesday, with the capital shrouded in smoke.
According to Reuters, widespread fires have claimed lives. On the outskirts of Madrid, a man working in a horse stable died when the fire spread to houses and farms.
Another man died in a fire in Albania, while in Montenegro a soldier was fatally injured while trying to put out a fire.
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