Updated on 07/16/2022 at 12:10 PM
- A firefighting pilot dies, tourists flee from the beach into the water – and fires in large parts of southern Europe continue to burn.
- No end in sight to heat and drought.
- In Germany the temperature may rise to 40 degrees next week.
heat and drought and Forest fires It continues to infect large parts of southern Europe. in Portugal A pilot was killed when his firefighting plane crashed. In the Italian Adriatic coastal resort of Bibione, tourists fled to sea due to a forest fire and were rescued by the coast guard there. According to the German Weather Service (DWD), the temperature could also reach 40 degrees in Germany on Tuesday.
The single-engine seaplane was near the town of Vila Nova de Foz Coa on Friday afternoon for an unknown reason. In northeastern PortugalCiting the Civil Defense, the newspaper “Publico” reported that the plane crashed 200 km east of Porto. The 38-year-old pilot Andre Serra could only be recovered dead. “We will remember him for his bravery, courage and commitment,” the president’s office in Lisbon said in tribute to the pilot who died.
© Getty Images / Octavio Passos
The machine took part in the fight against a forest fire in the Torre di Moncorvo region. According to Civil Defense, there are 13 larger fires and dozens of smaller fires currently raging at the popular holiday destination. However, tourist areas and larger residential areas were not in danger at the moment. A total of about 1,000 firefighters were deployed.
Portugal: Many months of drought and heat
The series of fires that broke out a week ago was helped by the drought and heat that has been going on for several months. According to the ICNF, the fire destroyed more than 25,000 hectares in just one week – the equivalent of about 35,000 football fields.
Portugal suffers like the neighboring country Spain With temperatures reaching their peaks of more than 40 degrees. in Spain There were 33 wildfires recorded on Saturday morning, 14 of them out of control. El Pais newspaper reported that 2,300 people had to leave their homes near Malaga due to the approach of the flames.
Tourists in Bibione flee at sea
In northern Italy the Adriatic sea resort Bibione The tourists fled to sea due to a forest fire and were rescued by the coast guard there. According to media reports, a fire broke out in the area frequented by German vacationers on Friday afternoon. When asked on Saturday, the Coast Guard was initially unable to confirm whether the Germans were among those rescued. Several fire brigades and a firefighting helicopter battled the blazes on the border between the regions of Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia. The operation continued on Saturday.
Videos showed how the fire engulfed the trees and thick smoke billowed into the sky, which can be seen from miles away. “We hope that it will not be canceled in the coming hours, but there should be no missing persons,” San Michele Al Tagliamento Deputy Mayor Pierluigi Grosseto told ANSA news agency. Police are investigating the cause of the fire. Because of the drought, Grossetto says, it’s possible that the flames were igniting on their own. Troops fought four fires.
In connection with the severe drought that is currently struggling in Italia Fire brigades nationwide against bush and bush fires. In the municipality of Giriot (Frasilungo) in Trentino, northern Italy, 90 firefighters, two helicopters and two firefighting planes responded to a forest fire in an area of about 70 hectares. The fighting continued on Saturday. The Civil Defense warned against approaching the area. The hiking and skiing area is located east of Trento.
In Tuscany, the Lucca fire brigade had to put out fires in a burning olive grove on Friday. Forest and bush fires also broke out in Sicily and Sardinia, and firefighting aircraft were used to fight them.
Forest fires in Crete under control since Saturday
The forest fire that was on Crete holiday The southern port city of Rethymno was captured on Saturday morning. The Greek fire brigade announced that they had been battling the flames all night. Six villages were evacuated. The mayor of the municipality, Agios Vassilios, told Sky on Saturday that although the fire approached settlements, no homes were damaged.
The Ministry of Climate Crisis and Citizen Protection warned again on Saturday of a “very high risk of wildfires” in five regions. Greece. The fourth warning level (out of five), among others, applies to the Attica region of the capital Athens As well as the islands of Euboea, Crete, Chios and Samos. The authorities are appealing to people not to handle the fire outdoors under any circumstances.
On the French Atlantic coast South of Bordeaux, after days of firefighting, there is hope that one of the major bushfires will subside. The Gironde province announced Saturday morning that the burned area near Test de Boch had not increased overnight. However, the fire is not yet under control and there is a high risk of it breaking out again. “The situation is worrying, but we have a lot of hope,” town mayor Patrick Davitt told France Info.
40 degrees also in some parts of Germany?
The situation is different with the second major forest fire in the region. The Landeras fire burned about 1,000 hectares of land overnight. The situation is still unfavorable, and the wind brings fire to the southeast. Firefighters have been working since Tuesday to put out two major forest fires. In total, more than 9,600 hectares of land were destroyed. As a precaution, more than 12,000 people have been evacuated from their homes or holiday resorts.
During the heat wave expected for the next week, in Deutschland According to the German Weather Service (DWD) Locally the 40 degree mark can be reached. As forecasts from Saturday show, the temporary peak of the heat wave is expected on Tuesday. Temperatures reached around 35 and 35 degrees wide, in the southwest and west up to 39, possibly 40 degrees. (dpa/sap)
© dpa
From watering the flowers in the morning, to the cool basil and cucumber lemonade in the afternoon, to a warm get-together in the evening: these tips will help you get through a hot day well. Note: This is a gallery from our archives.
teaser picture: © Getty Images / Octavio Passos
