Fires in France and Italy Carpet of flames in southern Europe continue to spread
07/19/2022, 18:38
The release is given only in some regions, otherwise the fire continues in parts of southern Europe. In Tuscany, rescue teams need to protect residents from the fire. Arson is now suspected to be the cause of the fires in Bordeaux – a suspect is arrested.
Millions of people in Europe continue to suffer from extreme heat and wildfires: Britain recorded over 40 degrees Celsius for the first time, and Belgium and the Netherlands also expected new heat records. Temperatures dropped slightly in Spain and Portugal, as well as in southwestern France. However, other violent wildfires have occurred there, as well as in Italy and Greece. At least one of the fires appears to have been caused by arson.
After reports of heat in 64 communities in western France the day before, people on the Atlantic coast were able to breathe a sigh of relief. In view of falling temperatures, the weather service has raised the highest heat alert level to 15 departments. But he warned of temperatures of up to 40 degrees in the east of the country.
There has been no release for two major fires in the Gironde department that have raged near Bordeaux for days. There alone, 19,000 hectares of forest have been destroyed so far, around 37,000 residents and tourists had to be taken to safety as a precaution, including 16,000 on Monday alone. Bordeaux prosecutors are now largely certain that one of the two fires was started – a suspect was arrested.
Closed motorway at the Italian-Slovenian border
The Italian fire brigade brought several residents to safety because of a massive forest fire in Tuscany. The fire started on Monday night in the municipality of Massarosa, north of Pisa, according to firefighters. According to the Civil Protection of Tuscany, northeasterly winds increased the flames overnight, so they also threatened residential buildings. About 30 people were evacuated from them.
Meanwhile, authorities have repeatedly blocked a traffic bridge connecting Lucca and Viareggio. Three helicopters and two firefighting aircraft support the twelve ground firefighting units. In addition, the operation continued with the work of extinguishing the air and dozens of firefighters on the ground. Images on social media showed flames near houses and a traffic tunnel. Tuscany regional president Eugenio Giani spoke of a “terrible fire”. About 80 hectares are affected by the flames.
Because of a large forest fire on the Italian-Slovenian border, Italian authorities closed a section of the highway and interrupted a train connection. According to the civil defense in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, the fire started near Monfalcone, an Adriatic town north of Trieste. Firefighters battled the flames in the air and on the ground. Ansa news agency reported that five employees were evacuated at a toll booth on the affected highway as the flames approached.
Elderly couple dies after escaping flames
In South Tyrol, emergency services near Bozen fought, among other things, with a firefighting helicopter against a forest fire in the Guntschna promenade walking area. In the afternoon, the Fire Department reported that the fire had been brought under control. Ansa reported that some residents left their homes as a precaution.
Thousands of firefighters also continued to fight several forest fires in Spain and Portugal. In Portugal, an elderly couple died trying to escape the flames that approached their home. The couple, in their 70s, left the road in their car, the mayor of the small town of Murça, in northern Portugal, Mario Artur Lopes, said on television on Monday night. The car and its occupants burned to the ground. After a slight decrease in extreme heat in Portugal, temperatures are also expected to rise again on Wednesday.
Strong winds at night ignited a small fire in northeast Athens into a large fire. Thick, brownish clouds of smoke could be seen in almost every region of Athens. The situation is “serious”, regional governor Giorgos Patoulis said on state radio. Inhabitants of the affected regions received a text message to be ready to leave their homes if the firefighters so ordered. One village had already been evacuated as the flames were approaching menacingly, state television reported.
In the summer of 2021, massive fires broke out in the region below Mount Penteli, northeast of Athens, destroying large parts of forest and bushland. “Eleven firefighting planes and six helicopters” are in use, a fire brigade spokesman said on state radio. In addition to the Greek emergency services, firefighters from Romania are also on duty, he said.
London sets heat record
Meanwhile, for the first time in British history, temperatures exceeded 40 degrees. According to the meteorological agency, 40.2 degrees were measured at London Heathrow Airport. The UK has been suffering from unusually hot weather since Monday. For the first time, the highest alert level applies to large parts of England, and the second highest level has been declared for Wales and parts of Scotland.
A fire destroyed several houses and fields in a town east of London. About 100 firefighters and 15 fire engines were fighting the fire in Wennington, about 30 kilometers from London, the London Fire Department said on Twitter. Grass fires were also reported in several suburbs of the capital. The fire department declared an emergency level in the face of “several large fires across the capital during today’s record heat wave”, which allows more resources to be used for emergency services. Mayor Sadiq Khan said there had been a “huge increase” in fires, putting “enormous pressure” on firefighters.
Firefighters urged that only emergencies be called, no fires or grills should be lit, cigarettes should be disposed of safely and glass bottles or broken glass should not be left on the floor. Firefighters also battled hundreds of fires in other parts of the country.
According to Transport Minister Grant Schapps, public transport was not designed for this heat either. The British rail network operator reported the highest temperature ever measured on a track: 62 degrees. The Netherlands also hoped to break the heat record of 35.4 degrees set the day before. Belgian authorities issued the highest heat alert given expected temperatures of at least 40 degrees. State museums offered free admission to those over 65 to refresh.