A person has died while attempting to extinguish a forest fire in the Castile and León region of northwestern Spain, marking the third fatality from wildfires this summer, authorities reported on Thursday.
“Today, we mourn the loss of another individual involved in firefighting efforts in the province of León, specifically in the Valderas area,” stated Nicanor Sen Vélez, the prefect of Castile and León, via social media.
Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska, who requested assistance from the European Union on Wednesday evening and the deployment of two Canadair firefighting aircraft, noted that there are currently eleven level 2 fires (on a scale of four). He expressed concern over these incidents, particularly in Zamora, where “a significant area has burned.”
A level 2 fire alert indicates a high risk of fire and necessitates the mobilization of additional personnel, including military support and firefighting equipment.
This marks the third death from wildfires within just a few days. It follows the announcement on Tuesday morning of a man who succumbed to severe burns covering his entire body from a wildfire in Tres Cantos, located 25 kilometers from central Madrid. Later that evening, a 35-year-old volunteer lost his life while combating a blaze in the León region.
This series of wildfires coincides with a heatwave that entered its twelfth day on Thursday, impacting all regions, including those in the north. Maximum temperatures have reached 40°C, and nighttime temperatures remain above 25°C.
