IN PICS: Wildfire rages across Tarragona as Spain gripped by record-breaking heatwave

A forest fire in Spain raged out of control on Thursday amid a Europe-wide heatwave, devouring land despite the efforts of hundreds of firefighters who worked through the night, local authorities said.
The blaze broke out on Wednesday afternoon in Torre del Espanol in the northeastern region of Catalonia and by Thursday it had destroyed more than 4,000 hectares (10,000 acres), the region's interior minister Miquel Buch said.
"The difficulties are such that we can't talk about a fire that is under control or in the extinction phase, but rather that we're at a moment when the blaze is getting bigger," he told Catalan radio.
Es tracta d’un dels pitjors incendis dels darrers 20 anys, amb un potencial de 20.000Ha. La feina d'aquesta nit és bàsica, tenint en compte que les dures condicions meteorològiques demà tornen a ser extremes.
Demanem la màxima precaució i responsabilitat!https://t.co/sEkfbXBSnp pic.twitter.com/nxqkLMlNN1
— Bombers (@bomberscat) June 26, 2019
In a statement, Catalonia's regional government warned the fire could eventually devour 20,000 hectares in what presented an "extreme risk."
The fire spread quickly due to strong winds and soaring temperatures. Buch said it may have been caused by "an accumulation of manure in a farm that generated enough heat to explode and generate sparks."
#IFTorredelEspanyol actiu. Continuem treballant intensament en les tasques d'extinció. Us demanem que no us acosteu a la zona per motius de prevenció i seguretat. @agentsruralscat @mossos@CreuRojaCAT @emergenciescat@interiorcat @semgencat pic.twitter.com/gCQMyQODx2
— Bombers (@bomberscat) June 26, 2019
"We haven't faced a fire of this seriousness in 20 years," he said in a Twitter message.
Ens trobem davant un incendi greu que feia 20 anys que no patíem. Han cremat 3.500 hac. en 6 hores i es podria arribar a les 20.000. Siguem molt conscients que qualsevol irresponsabilitat pot acabar sent una catàstrofe. Màxima precaució. pic.twitter.com/Jck4aXbDsL
— Miquel Buch (@MiquelBuch) June 26, 2019
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez wrote on Twitter that he was "concerned about the news coming from Tarragona and the families which have been evacuated".
Preocupado por las informaciones que nos llegan desde Tarragona y por las familias que han sido desalojadas. Gracias a todos los servicios de emergencia, bomberos y efectivos de @UMEgob y @mapagob que están trabajando para la extinción de #IFTorredelEspanyol y #IFRiberadEbre. https://t.co/MZwITFKLec
— Pedro Sánchez (@sanchezcastejon) June 26, 2019
So far, some 30 people have been evacuated from their homes, the regional government said, as water-dropping aircraft assist firefighters on the ground.
The fire comes as much of Europe was gripped by a record-breaking heatwave.
Meteorologists blame a blast of hot air from northern Africa for the scorching temperatures early in the European summer, which could send thermometers above 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) in France, Spain and Greece on Thursday and Friday.
ACTUALITZACIÓ: #IFTorredelEspanyol afecta una superfície provisional de 3.600ha. Municipis afectats: Torre de l'Espanyol, Vinebre, La Palma d'Ebre, Flix i Maials pic.twitter.com/1E1FEE2QXa
— Agents Rurals (@agentsruralscat) June 26, 2019
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The blaze broke out on Wednesday afternoon in Torre del Espanol in the northeastern region of Catalonia and by Thursday it had destroyed more than 4,000 hectares (10,000 acres), the region's interior minister Miquel Buch said.
"The difficulties are such that we can't talk about a fire that is under control or in the extinction phase, but rather that we're at a moment when the blaze is getting bigger," he told Catalan radio.
Es tracta d’un dels pitjors incendis dels darrers 20 anys, amb un potencial de 20.000Ha. La feina d'aquesta nit és bàsica, tenint en compte que les dures condicions meteorològiques demà tornen a ser extremes.
— Bombers (@bomberscat) June 26, 2019
Demanem la màxima precaució i responsabilitat!https://t.co/sEkfbXBSnp pic.twitter.com/nxqkLMlNN1
In a statement, Catalonia's regional government warned the fire could eventually devour 20,000 hectares in what presented an "extreme risk."
The fire spread quickly due to strong winds and soaring temperatures. Buch said it may have been caused by "an accumulation of manure in a farm that generated enough heat to explode and generate sparks."
#IFTorredelEspanyol actiu. Continuem treballant intensament en les tasques d'extinció. Us demanem que no us acosteu a la zona per motius de prevenció i seguretat. @agentsruralscat @mossos@CreuRojaCAT @emergenciescat@interiorcat @semgencat pic.twitter.com/gCQMyQODx2
— Bombers (@bomberscat) June 26, 2019
"We haven't faced a fire of this seriousness in 20 years," he said in a Twitter message.
Ens trobem davant un incendi greu que feia 20 anys que no patíem. Han cremat 3.500 hac. en 6 hores i es podria arribar a les 20.000. Siguem molt conscients que qualsevol irresponsabilitat pot acabar sent una catàstrofe. Màxima precaució. pic.twitter.com/Jck4aXbDsL
— Miquel Buch (@MiquelBuch) June 26, 2019
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez wrote on Twitter that he was "concerned about the news coming from Tarragona and the families which have been evacuated".
Preocupado por las informaciones que nos llegan desde Tarragona y por las familias que han sido desalojadas. Gracias a todos los servicios de emergencia, bomberos y efectivos de @UMEgob y @mapagob que están trabajando para la extinción de #IFTorredelEspanyol y #IFRiberadEbre. https://t.co/MZwITFKLec
— Pedro Sánchez (@sanchezcastejon) June 26, 2019
So far, some 30 people have been evacuated from their homes, the regional government said, as water-dropping aircraft assist firefighters on the ground.
The fire comes as much of Europe was gripped by a record-breaking heatwave.
Meteorologists blame a blast of hot air from northern Africa for the scorching temperatures early in the European summer, which could send thermometers above 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) in France, Spain and Greece on Thursday and Friday.
ACTUALITZACIÓ: #IFTorredelEspanyol afecta una superfície provisional de 3.600ha. Municipis afectats: Torre de l'Espanyol, Vinebre, La Palma d'Ebre, Flix i Maials pic.twitter.com/1E1FEE2QXa
— Agents Rurals (@agentsruralscat) June 26, 2019
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