WILDFIRES are ripping across Spain turning Madrid’s skies orange as the army deploys to fight the out of control blazes.
Fears are rising that a dry wind today will fan the flames further and firefighters could be in for a long haul trying to get them back under control.
AFPA fire burned about 30miles southwest of Madrid sending black smoke into the sky[/caption]
EscalanteMarisa/xThe skies turned red above Madrid[/caption]
EPAA firefighting plane drops water onto a blaze west of Madrid[/caption]
One blaze sending smoke over Madrid has already burned through 3,000 hectares and is threatening to burn more.
More than 100 firefighters are battling it from the ground and air as officials told dozens of people to leave their homes and evacuate.
Planes and helicopters could be seen dropping huge amounts of water across the hot zone.
Firefighters on the ground hacked away at scrub and dirt as they sought to stop the blaze from spreading.
The Spanish army deployed its emergency unit – which includes firefighters.
The fire, about 30miles southwest of the capital, broke out on Thursday near the town of Mentrida.
Temperatures reached 37 degrees in Madrid.
The city’s civil protection authority advised people to stay indoors and recommended masks to avoid inhaling ash as the gigantic cloud of orange and grey smoke hung over the city.
Officials said on Friday morning that 95 per cent of the fire had been contained by the brave firefighters.
With a reduction in smoke and better visibility, transport authorities have also been happy to open nearby roads.
But officials are now worried that firefighters could lose control the blaze again due to the wind forecast.
Temps are forecast to reach 34 degrees today in the city, but gusts of up to 39mph could fan the flames further.
Large parts of eastern Spain are under heat and fire warnings running from the Pyrenees down to the southern coast.
The mayor of Méntrida, Alfonso Arriero, said firefighters near the blaze were trying to stop it from sparking back up.
He said: “We’re using all available resources in case the wind changes direction or a flare-up flares up again.
ReutersFirefighters battled the blaze late into the night[/caption]
ReutersThey managed to get it 95 per cent under control but officials have warned it could get worse Friday[/caption]
“But right now, we’re calm about that, but at the same time, we’re quite concerned about what’s happening and how it doesn’t flare up again.”
The cause of the fire is unknown.
Last week, Spanish authorities ordered nearly 20,000 people to stay indoors due to smoke in Catalonia after one blaze burned 3,000 hectares.
Two died in a separate wildfire in the same region on July 1.
It comes after a wildfire erupted in London on Monday with 125 firefighters battling to keep the blaze away from nearby homes.
Plumes of dark smoke could be seen hanging over rows of houses in the East London area while grass could be seen burning away.
And Tomorrowland bosses have pledged to build a new main stage in time for this weekend’s festival after the original burned down.
Years of creativity and craftsmanship had gone into building the main stage set piece but the whole lot went up in flames on Wednesday.
X/112cmadridThe fire burned only 30miles from Madrid[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
