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A fast-moving wildfire in Northeastern Spain has destroyed more than 12,000 hectares of land, as firefighters continue efforts to contain the blaze, with authorities warning that it remains at high risk of spreading.
Regional authorities in Aragon said on Friday that the fire, which has been burning for two days near the city of Zaragoza, has rapidly expanded despite overnight firefighting operations.
Aragon’s regional security official, Roberto Bermúdez de Castro, described the overnight conditions as extremely difficult, saying preliminary estimates put the affected area at more than 12,000 hectares.
“The night has been very complex, very difficult. At this time, we estimate that the burned area exceeds 12,000 hectares” (29,650 acres), Bermúdez de Castro said.
More than 450 firefighters, supported by military personnel, are battling the blaze, which has forced the evacuation of five small villages in the sparsely populated region.
The wildfire comes just days after another devastating blaze in the southern region of Andalusia killed 13 people, including seven British nationals and one American, while destroying about 7,000 hectares in what has been described as Spain’s deadliest wildfire disaster in recent history.
Aragon has experienced temperatures of up to 40 degrees Celsius in recent days, conditions that have fuelled the spread of the fire.
Scientists say climate change driven by human activity is increasing the frequency, intensity and duration of extreme heat, creating conditions that make wildfires more likely and more difficult to contain.
Earlier this week, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez warned that Spain was facing a difficult wildfire season following the deadly fires in Andalusia.
