SAINT-MAGNE, France: Firefighters from across Europe came to France’s rescue on Friday to battle a massive wildfire, while parts of England faced a severe drought, as successive heatwaves on the continent renewed the focus on climate change risks.
Much of Europe has faced weeks of baking temperatures that have led to large wildfires, are depleting water levels of the Rhine River in Germany and have seen the source of Britain’s River Thames dry up further downstream than in previous years.
In central Portugal, a huge wildfire raged into its seventh day, with 1,600 firefighters backed by 13 water-bombing aircraft, including one sent from Spain, combating the blaze that has destroyed about 15 per cent of the Serra da Estrela national park.
After starting in the Covilha area on Saturday, the fire has spread to several neighbouring councils, burning around 15,000 hectares overall.
Meanwhile, water levels on the river Rhine in Germany have fallen again, with some vessels no longer able to sail, shipping operators and brokers said.
‘SEVERE RISK’
High temperatures and a worsening drought brought a high risk of new fires breaking out in Gironde, in southwestern France, local officials said, even after an overnight reprieve held in check the wildfire that has been burning for days, scorched thousands of hectares and displaced 10,000 people.
Firefighters from Germany, Romania, Greece and beyond were on the ground to help France battle the fire in the region as well as on other fronts, including in Brittany in the northwest.
France’s European counterparts also sent two more water-bombing aircraft, on top of the four they already lent to the firefighting efforts in the country.
The risk of new fires is “very severe” considering the weather conditions, the Gironde prefecture said.
“The day is likely to be complicated since temperatures continue to increase and humidity continues to drop, so obviously we remain vigilant and mobilised,” senior local official Ronan Leaustic told a news conference.
Temperatures as high as 40 degrees Celsius were expected in the southwest, with elevated temperatures also expected across much of France, official weather forecast Meteo France said.
The heatwave – officially France’s third this summer – was set to ebb on Saturday and end on Sunday with storms, it said.
UK DROUGHT
Further north, in Britain, the heatwave was also hitting hard, with the government formally declaring parts of southern, central and eastern England in drought after a prolonged period of hot and dry weather.
England suffered its driest July since 1935, with only 35 per cent of the average rainfall for the month, and parts of England and Wales were now in the middle of a four-day “extreme heat” alert.
“All water companies have reassured us that essential supplies are still safe, and we have made it clear it is their duty to maintain those supplies,” Water Minister Steve Double said, following a meeting of the National Drought Group.
Water companies will now begin enacting pre-agreed drought plans to help protect supplies, and the government said members of the public and businesses in drought-affected areas were urged to use water wisely. – Reuters
