Wildfire near Spain's Costa Brava largely contained; Portugal also battles blazes

Firefighting crews have made significant progress in controlling a wildfire that erupted near the popular tourist region of Costa Brava in northeastern Spain. As of Saturday morning, the blaze had consumed an estimated 2,200 hectares of vegetation, according to the Catalan fire department.

The fire broke out on Friday morning near the municipality of La Bisbal d'Empordà. Over 45,000 residents in the affected area were instructed to remain in their homes as more than 400 firefighters, supported by ten firefighting aircraft, worked to contain the flames. Efforts are focused on fully controlling the fire before anticipated wind shifts could potentially worsen the situation.

Spain is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, which exacerbates wildfire risks. Last year, wildfires destroyed nearly 400,000 hectares of vegetation across Spain, resulting in eight fatalities, according to the European Forest Fire Information System.

Meanwhile, Portugal is also grappling with severe wildfires. Thousands of firefighters, supported by numerous vehicles and aircraft, are battling a large blaze in the northern part of the country that has already devastated an estimated 10,000 hectares and injured at least nine people. Portuguese authorities have activated bilateral agreements with Spain and Morocco for additional support through the European Civil Protection Mechanism.

Both Spain and Portugal face significant challenges from wildfires during the summer months. In 2017, over one hundred people died in wildfires across Portugal.