Firefighters have been tackling aggressive blazes in Spain, with tourists to the country warned of danger. On Tuesday, the firefighters began to battle the forest fire which was fed by strong winds.
Authorities have urged residents to stay home while the Spanish army prepares an emergency response to the problem. The army was deployed overnight near the northeastern city of Tarragona. So far, the fire has destroyed nearly 2,377 hectares of land, say rangers.
Parts of Spain’s countryside have been completely ruined. Some protected areas, such as Els Ports natural park, have had 30% of their area impacted by the fires.
Video footage showing the blaze has been released by firefighters, showing plumes of smoke billowing into the distance.
Firefighters say strong winds have made it harder to extinguish the fires.
Around 18,000 people have been impacted by the fires with the national civil protection authority asking people to stay at home.
This comes after another wildfire ripped through Marseille Provence Airport in France, causing flights to be suspended on Tuesday, July 8. A red alert was issued for forest fire risk in Bouches-du-Rhone, Var, and Vaucluse, France.
Twelve firefighters from the Loire region were deployed to Bouches-du-Rhone as the wildfire raged.
The Marseille fire department confirmed 168 firefighters were in attendance and that 30 hectares have been affected in the municipality of Les Pennes-Mirabeau, about eight miles from Marseille.
It confirmed 68 vehicles have been mobilised and two helicopters are also being used.
Severe Weather Europe says: “Significant heat will expand into central Europe by mid-week and continue into early July 2025.
“Drought conditions are worsening, and wildfire threats are gradually increasing.”
With increasing heat set to continue across Europe throughout July, it’s possible that more wildfires could be seen on the continent.
