Spain to provide state aid for fire victims as many blazes rage on

Citizens affected by the devastating forest and bush fires in Spain in recent weeks are set to receive rapid state financial assistance.

At its first meeting after the summer recess, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's Cabinet declared numerous regions disaster zones, the government in Madrid announced on Tuesday.

This designation allows residents to apply for reconstruction aid under the Civil Protection Act.

The support is intended not only for victims of the 113 forest fires that have swept across the country this summer, particularly since early August, but also for those hit by five severe storms that caused flooding, including flash floods.

Although the situation has eased since the weekend, many fires are still burning. Currently, 15 major blazes are active, Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska told reporters.

Three fires in the provinces of Zamora, León, and Lugo in north-western Spain are considered especially serious. Officials have described the wildfires as the most severe in decades.

Northern and western Spain have been particularly hard hit since August 5 during an unusually long heatwave. No official damage assessment is available.

According to the latest estimate by the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS), more than 4,100 square kilometres of land has been destroyed in Spain since the beginning of the year.

Since the beginning of August, about 3,500 square kilometres has burnt.

Neighbouring Portugal experienced fierce fires in August.

According to EFFIS, some 2,700 square kilometres of land has been destroyed, mostly in sparsely populated areas. Both Spain and Portugal reported four fatalities each. As in Spain, numerous fires were still burning in Portugal on Tuesday.