Action taken by Germany to combat massive wildfires in Spain
Spain is currently grappling with one of its worst wildfire seasons in over 30 years, with thousands of hectares of land burned and numerous evacuations taking place. The situation is particularly severe in the Extremadura region, where a fire in the village of Jarilla has consumed approximately 12,000 hectares.
In an effort to combat the fires, Germany has sent 67 personnel from North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony to Spain. These firefighters arrived in Spain on Tuesday evening and will begin their work on Wednesday morning. Their first task will be to secure an area where a fire has already occurred, ensuring no embers remain and no new fires start from flying sparks.
The German team is "happy to finally be able to use their skills" in Spain, according to Frank Frenser, spokesperson for the Bonn fire department, who is part of the Spanish deployment. The wind changes direction regularly, making firefighting complex, but the team is prepared to face the challenges ahead.
The situation in Extremadura is critical, with over 315 personnel, including aerial units and the Military Emergency Unit (UME), actively combating the fires. Cooler temperatures and rain are expected, which could make firefighting efforts easier.
The most affected regions in northwest Spain are Castile and León, Galicia, Extremadura, and Asturias. Thousands of people have had to leave their homes due to the fires, and over a dozen roads were recently closed, and several train connections were disrupted.
Spain is not fighting this crisis alone. The Netherlands, Czech Republic, and Slovakia have sent firefighting helicopters, while France, Italy, and Finland have sent helpers and firefighting aircraft. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez visited Jarilla on Tuesday evening and has promised help in the fight against these fires.
Preliminary estimates suggest over 3,800 square kilometers of nature have been destroyed since the beginning of the year. The Spanish government will declare the most affected areas disaster zones next week. Firefighting aircraft are constantly seen and heard as they work tirelessly to contain the fires.
While detailed contributions from countries like Germany, France, Italy, or others are not yet reported in current sources, such support is typical through EU mechanisms during Spain’s wildfire crises. If you need updated or detailed information about international firefighting aid, monitoring EU official channels or Spain’s Civil Protection updates will be beneficial.
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