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Winds complicate wildfire battle in Spain
Winds complicate wildfire battle in Spain
by AFP Staff Writers
Madrid (AFP) Aug 20, 2025

High winds on Wednesday hampered efforts to contain wildfires in Spain that have already scorched a record stretch of land despite lower temperatures, authorities said.

Firefighters, backed by troops and water-dropping aircraft, were battling 21 blazes in the west of the country classified as "operational level two", meaning they pose a direct threat to nearby communities, said Virginia Barcones, director general of emergency services.

"Temperatures have dropped, but strong gusts of wind continue to hinder firefighting efforts, and the lack of rain is not helping, though we hope that changes in the coming days," she told a news conference.

Forecasters said winds were expected to ease later in the day, with higher humidity levels likely to help efforts. Rain was forecast in some fire-hit regions Thursday.

Spain endured a 16-day heat wave that ended Monday, with temperatures soaring above 40 degrees Celsius in many regions. The heat fuelled wildfires that have killed four people.

Dozens of villages have been evacuated.

Train service between Madrid and the northwestern region of Galicia -- suspended on August 14 due the fires -- would resume because "tracks are now safe", railway operator Adif said.

Officials said many of the fires were sparked by lightning during dry storms, though arson is suspected in some cases.

Aircraft from Italy, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic and Slovenia have joined the firefighting effort.

Germany sent 60 firefighters and 24 vehicles, France deployed 66 firefighters and 23 vehicles while Finland sent 26 firefighters.

Nearly 400,000 hectares (988,000 acres) have burned in Spain this year, according to the European Forest Fire Information System.

That surpasses the previous record of 306,000 hectares in 2022, the worst season since records began in 2006.

Scientists say climate change is driving longer, more intense and more frequent heat waves around the world.

Lower humidity in the air, vegetation and soil makes it easier for wildfires to ignite and harder to control them once they start.

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