Extreme heat and massive forest fires have killed three people in Spain.
The Guardian reports this.
In the Catalan province of Lleida, a fire that has engulfed more than 6,500 hectares has killed two farm workers who were trapped in the flames while trying to reach their cars. The authorities have ordered some 18,000 residents to stay home for safety because of the danger.
The regional president, Salvador Illa, expressed his deep condolences to the families of the victims and called on residents to follow all recommendations and instructions from emergency services. He stressed that the current fires are much faster and more dangerous than before, and people should not underestimate the threat.
Catalan Interior Minister Nuria Parlon said the fire had “extremely violent and unpredictable” behaviour due to the influence of nearby storms.
The victims were farm workers who were trapped in the flames while trying to reach their vehicles, she said. The onset of rain helped firefighters bring the situation under control, but the risk of new fires remains high due to expected storm conditions.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez also expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and thanked the rescuers for their work. He called on citizens to be especially careful during the period of increased risk of fires.
In addition, a small boy died the same day in the province of Tarragona, probably from heat stroke, after being left in a parked car. Authorities are calling on residents to be vigilant and immediately report any smoke or fire to minimize the impact of the disaster.
Let us recall that earlier we wrote that abnormal heat is expected in Europe in the coming days, which could lead to thousands of deaths due to fires and abnormal heat.
