AT the border of Portugal, a pine forest reduced to ashes. In just 48 hours, a vast fire ravaged more than 8,500 hectares. The inhabitants of Moraleja (Extremadura), west of Spain, were evacuated and must wait in a residence. “I feel bad, I’m brooding”laments a resident. The situation could be stabilized.
A big concern for this summer
While it is only the month of May, small fires are multiplying and causing concern for firefighters for the summer period. “Three months without a drop of rain”, laments one of the firefighters on site. “It normally rains in the spring. We don’t know how it’s going to be this summer.” AT forced to draw water from rivers for ever-increasing fires, water is becoming increasingly scarce. A black year for forest fires is in anticipation.
Spain was the most affected European country in 2022 with nearly 500 fires and more than 300,000 hectares burned.