Another heatwave hits Spain, bringing increased fire risk

Madrid [Spain], August 8:Spain is being hit by the fourth heatwave of the summer and it is expected to continue at least until Thursday with an increased risk of forest fires, the weather service AEMET said on Monday.
The peak will be reached on Wednesday with temperatures of up to 44 degrees Celsius in the region surrounding the capital of Madrid and in Jaen in Andalusia, it said.
On Monday, temperatures of up to 42 degrees were expected, especially in the southern Andalusia and western Extremadura regions of the country.
In many places "tropical nights" are expected during the heatwave with temperatures of more than 20 degrees and sometimes reaching over 25 degrees.
The Spanish Balearic Islands, including the popular tourist island of Mallorca, as well as the entire Spanish Mediterranean coast are expected to be spared from the heatwave this time.
There were also several fires in Portugal. The most devastating destroyed some 7,000 hectares, equivalent to the area of just over 10,000 football pitches, in the districts of Castelo Branco and Proença-a-Nova in the centre of the country over the weekend.
The fire was brought under control on Monday, but about 1,000 emergency personnel were fighting new fires in Odemira in the south-west, in Ourem in the centre and in Mangualde in the north of Portugal.
As in Spain, the authorities in Portugal warned of an increased risk of forest fires in the coming days.
Source: Qatar Tribune