Warning about the risk
Spanish officials warn of increased fire risk – on Wednesday, hundreds of thousands of people will head to hills and beaches to witness the total solar eclipse.
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However, the vegetation is extremely dry, so even the slightest spark or careless behavior can cause a devastating forest fire.
Prolonged heat and lack of rainfall have created very favorable conditions for forest fires, which have ravaged large areas of Spain in recent weeks.
One huge fire also broke out west of the capital Madrid.
The police predict that on Wednesday there will be about 1.5 million more car trips on the country’s roads than usual.
There are concerns that if fires break out in rural areas, heavy traffic could hinder the work of firefighters and other emergency services.
Due to the fire danger, parking cars in emergency lanes or near dry vegetation is prohibited. Barbecues and fireworks are also banned.
The Spanish Ministry of Finance estimates that about 460,000 foreign tourists will come to the country just because of this impressive phenomenon.
Precautionary measures will be taken
Regional authorities are also taking precautionary measures. Nature parks in Valencia are closed, and walking on some rural trails is also prohibited.
Towns prepare for tourist influx
On Monday, the Spanish National Meteorological Agency AEMET reported that July was one of the hottest months in mainland Spain since observations began in 1961.
The past month was also the driest July in the entire observation history – only 4.3 mm of precipitation fell, or just 26% of the usual amount for this time of year.
Due to human-caused climate change, extreme weather worldwide is intensifying, and in Southern Europe both the likelihood of fires and the areas they devastate are increasing.
The total solar eclipse will be visible in a roughly 200 km wide band stretching across Spain – from A Coruña in the northwest of the country to Mallorca in the Mediterranean Sea. One of the best regions to observe the eclipse is Castilla y León.
Accommodation in small towns and villages located in this band is already fully booked.
Local residents and enthusiasts are also organizing temporary eclipse viewing spots.
15min reported that Lithuanians are also traveling abroad to observe this rare phenomenon.
The interest is so great that people living in the USA and other countries are even offering to swap homes for places in Spanish villages.
NASA also arrived in the small northwestern Spanish village of Villalibado, setting up four powerful telescopes to broadcast the eclipse live to more than 10 million viewers.
NASA chose this village after nearly a year of searching for the best place to observe the eclipse. Villalibado, abandoned for decades, was later restored and turned into a tourist destination.
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