Weather & Science
Cooler Weather Eases Wildfire Risks Across Spain and Portugal
A burnt area following a wildfire in San Vicente de Leira in Ourense province, Spain, on Aug. 19.
Photographer: Miguel Riopa/AFP/Getty ImagesCooler conditions are helping Spanish and Portuguese firefighters tackle deadly blazes that have forced tens of thousands of people to flee over the past two weeks.
The shift in the weather since Monday has reduced wildfire risks, after a 16-day heat wave seared the region. Still, 22 fires are burning across Spain, and there are four major blazes in Portugal, where stronger winds are fanning the flames in coastal and mountainous areas.