Spain Battles Record Forest Fire Amid Fourth Heatwave, Temperatures Exceeding 40 Degrees

Spain is facing a critical situation as it confronts its largest forest fire in history, with approximately 77,000 hectares ravaged by flames. This environmental crisis coincides with the arrival of the fourth heatwave of the season, prompting the national meteorological agency (Aemet) to warn of temperatures soaring above 40 degrees Celsius across the country this week.

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We do not expect rain this week, and with this new warm episode, the risk of fires will again skyrocket to very high or extreme levels nationwide starting Tuesday, a situation that will persist or even worsen in the following days.

The extreme weather conditions are occurring at a particularly vulnerable time for Spain, which is already under a state of emergency due to widespread wildfires. Rubén del Campo, a spokesperson for Aemet, cautioned that the intensifying heat and low relative humidity will worsen the conditions for firefighting efforts. "We do not expect rain this week, and with this new warm episode, the risk of fires will again skyrocket to very high or extreme levels nationwide starting Tuesday, a situation that will persist or even worsen in the following days," he stated.

Wildfires are raging in several areas, particularly around Madrid and in neighboring provinces, with fears that multiple blazes could converge into a massive inferno near the capital. One fire in Ávila, northwest of Madrid, has already affected nearly 50,000 hectares, making it the "largest forest fire in Spain's recent history," according to Minister for Ecological Transition, Sara Aagesen. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez acknowledged the challenging hours ahead.

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This is the 'largest forest fire in Spain's recent history'.

Meanwhile, the wildfire crisis has extended beyond Spain's borders. In France, firefighters near Bordeaux are battling a phenomenon known as a "firestorm," where intense heat causes self-combustion and creates lightning within the flames, making them uncontrollable. This has led to the evacuation of approximately 325,000 people across both France and Spain. French President Emmanuel Macron has convened a crisis meeting to address the escalating situation.

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there are 'complex hours' ahead.