Disasters & Accidents

Spain PM warns of climate emergency after hottest summer on record

Valencia, Spain, Aug 22 (EFE).- Spain is facing a climate emergency as it experiences the hottest summer ever recorded, prime minister Pedro Sanchez warned Monday.

“This is the hottest summer ever since Spain started recording reliable data in 1961,” Sanchez told reporters.

“Unfortunately, science is telling us that the next summers are going to be even hotter which means that we are facing a climate emergency,” he added.

Spain’s summer this year has been characterized by rolling heat waves, temperatures as high as 45C (113F) in places and drought conditions.

The prime minister said that so far in 2022, some 223,000 hectares of land have been devastated as a result of forest fires, over four times last year’s figure, when 51,000 hectares were burnt.

Over 270,000 people have been forced to evacuate from their homes due to wildfires, he added.

Sanchez added that the government will declare as catastrophe areas all territories affected by major wildfires so far this year, a measure that will fast track recovery funds.

Sanchez was speaking to reporters during a visit to the Alto Palancia area in Castellon, where a fire has razed some 19,000 hectares of land this week. EFE

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