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.

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.

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.

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.

Related Links
Forest and Wild Fires - News, Science and Technology

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The Space Media Network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceMediaNetwork Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceMediaNetwork Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

Wildfire evacuees tempted not to vote in Canada election
Lytton, Canada (AFP) Sept 14, 2021
On the front lines of global warming, evacuees from Lytton, a western Canadian village destroyed by wildfires in June, are detached and bitter about the upcoming September 20 snap elections. Lytton, located 250 kilometers (155 miles) northeast of Vancouver, gained international attention for setting a new Canadian heat record of 49.6 degrees Celsius (121.3 Fahrenheit) before being ravaged days later by a fire that killed at least two residents. More than two months later the town is deserted, wi ... read more