Extreme fire conditions have spread across the globe with the U.S. scorched and dozens injured in Portugal
Dozens have been injured as a wildfire tears through Portugal leaving 12 firefighters and 17 civilians in medical care.
3,000 firefighters have now been deployed to tackle the inferno as temperatures throughout the country reach 43 degrees Celsius.
The European Union has activated its air fleet assistance programme allowing member nations to share their resources.
Spain has been one of the first countries to lend a hand, mobilising two firefighting planes.
96 per cent of Portugal is considered as being in ‘extreme’ or ‘severe’ drought and the sweltering heat wave currently hanging over the nation is only expected to worsen.
The government has declared a heightened state of alert which will remain in place until at least Friday.
Wildfires throughout the U.S.
It’s been an explosive few months when it comes to wildfires in the U.S., but it’s tipped to get a whole lot worse as summer approaches.
Landscapes are being described by experts as ‘tinderboxes’ – so dry that a single spark could lead to catastrophe.
The Pacific north-west, north California, Texas, Hawaii and Alaska are all forecast to be among those hardest hit by fire conditions.
Four key factors are at play here – drought, dried fuels, windy or warm weather and ignitions.
The climate crisis is also making matters worse and leading to more intense conditions.
Over the first six months of this year alone, we’ve seen a controlled burn in New Mexico escape its containment and escalate into a wildfire in Alaska, a lightning storm led to the destruction of 2 million acres, and this is just to name a few.
When compared with the previous 10-year average, 220 per cent more land has been lost as a result of fires.
