Spain: a titanic and out-of-control forest fire ravages the region of Extremadura

2023-05-20T16:38:27.290Z

Highlights: It is one of the biggest fires of what is now called in Spain "the forest fire season" In the west of Extremadura, in the park of Las Hurdes, 8,500 hectares went up in smoke. 700 villagers from four localities were evacuated and several roads were cut. Aerial images show that the columns of smoke cover 360 kilometers, including part of Portugal. The same area had been burned twenty years ago, again intentionally. According to the regional government, this is because of ranchers who need grazing for their herds.

It is one of the biggest fires of what is now called in Spain "the forest fire season" that begins each year earlier. In the west of Extremadura, in the park of Las Hurdes...

Spain: a titanic and out-of-control forest fire ravages the region of Extremadura

The fire in Pinofranqueado, Extremadura, Spain, May 18, 2023. VIA REUTERS - EMERGENCY MILITARY UNIT (UME) HA

Text by: RFI Follow

1 min

It is one of the biggest fires of what is now called in Spain "the forest fire season" that begins each year earlier. In the west of Extremadura, in the park of Las Hurdes and Sierra de Gata, 8,500 hectares went up in smoke. 700 villagers from four localities were evacuated and several roads were cut.

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With our correspondent in Madrid, François Musseau

Since Wednesday evening, May 17, firefighters have been working hard to stop a gigantic and sprawling fire in western Extremadura. In vain so far, since the regional authorities still assure this Saturday, May 20 that "the fire is out of control". One of the civil protection officials even predicted that an additional 10,000 hectares could be devoured by the flames in the coming days.

Curiously, temperatures are not very high, with 25°C on average these days. But the presence of gusts of wind and the sharp drop in humidity explain the rapid pace of the fire's progress. Aerial images show that the columns of smoke cover 360 kilometers, including part of Portugal.

Seguimos trabajando en el incendio forestal #IIFF #IF del norte de #Cáceres con la regulación de accesos a las zonas del incendio para evitar que los ciudadanos pongan sus vidas en peligro al acceder por vías de comunicación a lugares afectados por el #IncendioForestal

⚠️! !️ Es... pic.twitter.com/VSOyviqbwA

— Guardia Civil (@guardiacivil) May 19, 2023

More serious: it is, once again, the green lungs of this western region of Spain that are affected, namely the Sierra de Gata and Les Hurdes, which pay a heavy price every year with the Vera and the Jerte Valley.

Another alarming element: the same area had been burned twenty years ago, again intentionally. According to the regional government, this is because of ranchers who need grazing for their herds.

Spain: a titanic and out-of-control forest fire ravages the region of Extremadura

Spain: a titanic and out-of-control forest fire ravages the region of Extremadura

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