October 2017 Iberian wildfires

October 2017 Iberian wildfires
Satellite image depicting smoke from wildfires in Portugal and northwestern Spain on 8 October.
Date(s)13–18 October 2017 (2017-10-13 – 2017-10-18)
Statistics
Total fires7,980
Total area267,432 acres (108,226 ha)
Impacts
Deaths49 (45 in Portugal and 4 in Spain)
Non-fatal injuries91
DamageUnknown

The October 2017 Iberian wildfires were a series of more than 7,900 forest fires affecting Northern Portugal and Northwestern Spain between 13 and 18 October. The wildfires claimed the lives of at least 49 individuals, including 45 in Portugal and four in Spain, and dozens more were injured.[1][2][3][4][5][6]

The first fires started on or before 13 October in Galicia. The Prime Minister of Spain Mariano Rajoy and Jorge Gomes, Portugal's secretary of state of internal administration, believed most of the fires were lit by arsonists.[7] By 15 October 2017 winds increased, due in part to Hurricane Ophelia passing between the Azores and the peninsula, which helped fan wildfires in both Portugal and Spain.

In Portugal, on its worst day, firefighters battled over 440 fires.[8] The country sought assistance from European neighbours and Morocco. The Portuguese Minister of Internal Administration Constança Urbano de Sousa, who resigned as a consequence, said "We have all our firefighters out there doing everything they can".[citation needed]

Four months earlier, the June 2017 Portugal wildfires had caused 66 deaths in Portugal, for a total of 115 deaths (111 in Portugal, 4 in Spain) between the two incidents.

  1. ^ "UPDATE: Portugal forest fires death toll rises to 45". ENCA World. 24 October 2017. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
  2. ^ "39 dead in 'terror-arson' fires in Portugal, Spain". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  3. ^ Badcock, James (15 October 2017). "At least 27 dead as Ophelia winds fan wildfires in Portugal". Telegraph. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  4. ^ "At least 30 killed as Ophelia winds fan wildfires in Portugal and Spain". The Guardian. 16 October 2017. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  5. ^ Minder, Raphael (16 October 2017). "Deadly Fires Sweep Portugal and Northern Spain". New York Times. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  6. ^ Hatton, Barry (16 October 2017). "Portugal wildfires kill at least 32; 4 dead in Spain". Chicago Tribune.
  7. ^ Jones, Sam (16 October 2017). "One-month-old baby among at least 32 killed in Portugal and Spain fires". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
  8. ^ "With over 300 fires, this was the "worst day of the year"". 16 October 2017. Retrieved 25 October 2017.