Damage Worsens as Wildfires Compound the Crisis
It is estimated that more than 1,100 people have died due to the heatwave that has lasted for 16 days in Spain. With wildfires occurring simultaneously, the damage has reached its worst level in 19 years.
A fire engulfed the village of Rebordondo near Ourense in northwestern Spain. Photo by AP Yonhap News
According to AFP on August 19 (local time), the Carlos III Health Institute reported that there were 1,149 excess deaths related to the heatwave from August 3 to 18.
The analysis showed that most of the victims were elderly people aged 65 or older or patients with pre-existing conditions. The institute warned of the dangers posed by high temperatures, noting that this figure represents a 57% increase compared to July of last year.
It is estimated that more than 1,100 people have died due to the heatwave in Spain that lasted for 16 days. Most of the victims were elderly people aged 65 or older or patients with pre-existing conditions. Photo by AP Yonhap News
Although daytime temperatures, which once exceeded 40 degrees Celsius, dropped by about 4 degrees on August 19, the wildfires have continued, resulting in the worst damage in 19 years. According to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS), 382,000 hectares (3,820 km²) have already burned in Spain this year alone. This area is more than twice the size of London, and it is the largest damage since records began in 2006. So far, four people have died due to the wildfires, and there have been disruptions to railway operations as well as the emergency evacuation of dozens of village residents.
A wildfire in Spain, coinciding with a heatwave, has resulted in over 1,000 deaths. Volunteers are fighting fiercely to extinguish the wildfire in the Spanish region. Photo by EPA Yonhap News
The Spanish Ministry of the Interior stated that some of the wildfires were caused by arson, and so far, 32 people have been arrested and 188 cases are under investigation. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez visited the affected areas and said that the recent heatwave has fueled the wildfires, adding, "Science and common sense tell us that the climate is changing." He also warned that although the heatwave has subsided, it remains a dangerous and difficult time, urging everyone to exercise extreme caution.
Neighboring Portugal has also suffered significant damage from wildfires. So far, two people have died and 235,000 hectares (2,350 km²) have been destroyed. This is five times the average annual area affected between 2006 and 2024.
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