First Published Jul 16, 2022, 11:47 AM IST
KaDue to climate change, heat wave has intensified in Southern Europe. As a result of this, reports say that most of the rivers have dried up and forest fires are spreading in the forests. Aquaweather.com reported that Europe is going through one of the most intense heat waves in 200 years, compared to temperatures in Death Valley, one of the hottest places on Earth. Europe will face the worst weather on the continent since 1757. Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, England and other countries in the south-west of Europe are experiencing a very strong heat wave. As a result, water bodies and rivers dried up. Thousands of wildfires are raging across Europe. Reports also say that the Po River is facing its worst drought in Italy for the first time in 70 years.
Extreme climate change could turn deadly across the European continent, according to Aquaweather’s report. Since the 8th of this month, Portugal and Spain have reached 38 degrees Celsius. 41 degrees Celsius was recorded in Seville, Spain.
By July 14, Pinhão, Portugal recorded a temperature of 47 degrees Celsius, making it the hottest July recorded in the country. Spanish newspaper El Pais also reported that the country’s current record July temperature is 46.5 degrees Celsius, recorded in Amaraleja in 1995. According to the report, more than 80 deaths have occurred in the country so far this year due to heat wave.
In France, 1,000 firefighters, aided by ten water bombers, are continuing to battle the blaze that started last Tuesday. Thousands of people have been evacuated from the area. The fire has burned 7,300 hectares of forest in the Gironde region of western France. Officials said that 2,000 hectares of forest were burnt overnight.
One of the two fires in the Gironde is around the town of Landiras, south of Bordeaux. There, 4,200 hectares were burnt. Roads are closed. 480 residents were evacuated. 1,000 people have been evacuated from the area so far.
One of the main fires in France is in the forest south of the Atlantic resort town of Arcachon. It is also a major attraction for visitors around France during the summer. This is a valley full of vineyards.
Some of the firefighting aircraft and equipment that were supposed to be on display at the Bastille Day parade in Paris last Thursday were taken away to be used in the blaze in the Bordeaux region. Wildfires are raging in southeastern France and north of Paris. Karin Le Figaro, a local resident, said that such a fire has never been seen in the country and that it is the most all-consuming fire since prehistoric times.
Another wildfire that broke out near the south-eastern town of Tarascon on Thursday has burned at least 1,000 hectares, firefighters said. Forest fires are raging in Portugal, Spain and Croatia. Thousands of houses were burnt down. Thousands were displaced.
Foreign media reports that most of Europe is suffocating from the smoke and heat raised by forest fires. Another powerful forest fire is raging on the Atlantic coast near the Dune du Pilat, another west coast of France and Europe’s highest sand dune. An area of 3,100 hectares has already been burnt in this area.
Thick clouds of dark smoke also rose in the sky over the Archacon Bay area. About 6,000 people were evacuated from surrounding campsites on Wednesday and another 4,000 early Thursday morning. Authorities said three houses and two restaurants in the area were gutted overnight.
More than 1,000 firefighters are struggling to put out 13 separate fires in Portugal due to extreme temperatures and drought. In Portugal, the country’s highest temperature of 47 degrees Celsius was recorded in Alijo. 27 year record heat was recorded this time.
Planes and helicopters are continuing to spray water on the blaze near the Portuguese town of Pombal. Hectares of pine and eucalyptus trees were burnt in the area. ‘When you get to the eucalyptus, it’s like an explosion,’ says Antonio, an elderly man from the nearby village of Gesteira, of his sight.
Many businesses in Spain have closed due to the heat. Temperatures in many parts of Spain are above 40 degrees Celsius. There are reports of forest fires in Caceres and Salamanca. The fire, which was sparked by lightning, reduced an area of 4,000 hectares to ashes in four days.
The army was called in to rescue the priests of the Salamanca monastery following a raging forest fire. Monfrage National Park, a famous bird sanctuary where many prehistoric cave paintings have been found, was also heavily damaged by the fire.
The Monfrage community said several colonies of black vultures, a major attraction in Monfrage, were destroyed by the fire. As a result of the heat wave, many rivers in southern Europe have dried up. Water scarcity continues to be acute in most areas. The water supply system in many cities was disrupted.