MADRID: Spain and Portugal wildfires escalated Friday as firefighters battled flames near Costa Brava and Lisbon requested outside help for forest fires in the country’s north.
The Spanish blaze began near La Bisbal d’Emporda in northeastern Catalonia, about 20 kilometres from the Costa Brava coastline, according to AFP.
Strong winds pushed the fire, prompting Catalan authorities to tell residents in 10 municipalities to stay indoors, including Platja d’Aro.
Regional emergency services said authorities evacuated about 150 people, including nearly 70 children, from a holiday camp.
Catalan officials said the fire had burned 1,280 hectares, while more than 200 firefighters and aerial resources were deployed.
Catalonia’s interior minister, Nuria Parlon, said more than 200 army emergency troops were also heading to the area.
Catalan police said they arrested a man suspected of starting the fire while using an angle grinder by the roadside.
Read: Europe Heatwave Triggers Red Alerts as Spain Faces 44°C
In Portugal, Prime Minister Luis Montenegro said the government activated the European civil protection mechanism and bilateral agreements with Spain and Morocco.
Montenegro said Portugal sought reinforcements because the entire country faced a very high fire risk.
A forest fire in Vouzela, in the Viseu district, had injured at least nine people and burned an estimated 10,000 hectares, officials said.
Portugal deployed about 1,000 firefighters, 300 vehicles and eight aircraft, while the meteorological agency placed 12 mainland districts on red alert amid temperatures expected to reach 44 °C.
