Spain battles several wildfires as heatwave persists
June 16, 2022, 2:53 pm

Spain battles several wildfires as heatwave persists

A helicopter drops river water onto a wildfire in Sierra de Leyre, Spain, June 15, 2022 (REUTERS)

The Anews reported that emergency services battled several wildfires Thursday (June 16) as Spain remained in the grip of an exceptional heatwave that has seen temperatures reach 43 degrees Celsius (109 degrees Farenheit).

The government in the northwestern region said, the most alarming blaze, near Baldomar in Catalonia, has already destroyed 500 hectares of forest but could spread to over 20,000.

No-one has been evacuated yet but the Catalan authorities have cordoned off several residential areas as a precaution.

In Lerida province, where Baldomar is located, temperatures reached 41C on Thursday (June 16).

Spanish meteorologial office AEMET also forecast temperatures above 40C in Badajoz in the southwest and Zaragoza in the northeast.

The Catalan authorities said that two other wildfires were raging in Catalonia on Thursday morning, in Lerida and Tarragona provinces, and had destroyed nearly 300 hectares.

Another was burning in the Sierra de la Culebra mountains in Zamora, central Spain.

Climate change: Spain bakes in worst June heatwave in 20 years

Regional emergency services said that in the northern province of Navarra, firefighters brought two forest fires under control during Wednesday night.

AEMET said that the six-day-old heatwave, exceptional in Spain for this time of year, has affected the entire country and is forecast to last until Saturday.

Spain recorded its hottest May since the start of the 21st century and has seen four extreme temperature episodes in less than a year.

Spain is expected to face severe drought due to lack of rainfall

In neighboring Portugal, last month was the hottest May since 1931.

Scientists say that aeatwaves have become more prevalent due to climate change.

As global temperatures rise over time, heatwaves are predicted to become more frequent and intense, and their impacts more widespread.

Source: anews

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”