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Spain says huge wildfire under control after 7 days

A huge wildfire in southern Spain has been brought under control after it raged for seven days, killing a firefighter and forcing 2,600 people from their homes, regional officials said Tuesday.

Published: 14 September 2021 12:14 CEST
Spain says huge wildfire under control after 7 days
Wildfire at the Sierra Bermeja mountain range in Malaga is now under control. Photo: JORGE GUERRERO / AFP

The blaze, which officials believe was started deliberately last Wednesday in the Sierra Bermeja mountains near Estepona, “is under control”, Juanma Moreno, head of Spain’s Andalusia region tweeted.

Tweet from Juanma Moreno on wildfire. Image: Twitter

About 500 firefighters and 51 water-dropping planes who had been tackling the blaze were finally given some breathing room on Monday when a light rain started falling.

“The rain that has been falling for hours has been the best ally,” said Moreno who warned there was still “a complicated phase” ahead before the fire could be totally extinguished.

Erratic winds, scorching temperatures and low humidity levels helped turn the blaze into what the regional fire chief described as a “hungry monster” which ended up destroying more than 8,000 hectares (20,000 acres) of land.

Since Sunday, 260 soldiers from the military’s emergency unit also joined the battle against the inferno, which had claimed the life of a 44-year-old firefighter on Thursday. His funeral took place on Sunday.

READ ALSO: Firefighter dies battling southern Spain wildfire

Spain is the latest area around the Mediterranean basin to be hit by wildfires this summer, a seasonal phenomenon that climate scientists warn will become increasingly common because of man-made global warming.

Large fires have already ravaged parts of many Mediterranean countries including Greece, Italy, Turkey and Algeria.

READ ALSO: What to do and what to avoid if you witness a forest fire in Spain

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FIRE

Situation ‘unstable’ at Copenhagen’s old stock exchange after fire

Three days after a fire which ravaged Copenhagen's historic former stock exchange broke out, emergency services said Friday that the situation was "unstable" due to equipment issues and a strong breeze.

Published: 19 April 2024 17:44 CEST
Situation 'unstable' at Copenhagen's old stock exchange after fire

In the morning, during work to dismantle the scaffolding surrounding the building, a crane’s cutters came loose for as of yet unknown reasons.

It is currently wedged between the scaffolding — put up for the renovation of the historic building that was ongoing — and what remains of the walls.

“It is affecting our efforts”, Tim Ole Simonsen, leader of the operation at the rescue services, told a press conference.

Coupled with the wind picking up, the incident, which has temporarily halted work on dismantling the scaffolding, has made the situation “unstable”.

“The wind is blowing harder and harder, and there are tarps over the scaffolding that can catch the wind,” Simonsen said.

He added that this increases the risks, in particular of further collapse of the burnt-out facade which started collapsing late Thursday afternoon.

Located close to the Christiansborg parliament and seat of government, the Borsen building was commissioned by King Christian IV and built between 1619 and 1640. It was the stock exchange until the 1970s.

The fire began Tuesday morning under the copper roof of the building, which was undergoing renovations ahead of its 400th anniversary.

The cause of the blaze was unknown and Copenhagen police said Wednesday that a major investigation had been launched.

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