Ben Pawlowski
FIREFIGHTERS are battling to tame two wildfires which broke out in Catalunya on Thursday afternoon.
The pair of blazes ignited simultaneously after an issue with electrical power lines in the Priorat region of Tarragona in southern Catalunya, leaving over 1,400 local residents without power.
The infernos quickly spread thanks to strong winds, exacerbated by the dry ground caused by the region’s drought.
Firefighters successfully ‘stabilised’ one of the fires on Friday morning, near the village of Porrera which was forced into lockdown as the flames spread overnight.
Work is continuing to bring the other blaze – near the town of Cabaces in the Montsant natural park – under control.
A total of 62 firefighting units, 26 fire engines and 191 firemen have been deployed to contain the wildfires.
The Cabaces fire is believed to have burnt 111 hectares of forested area.
The Catalan fire service is urging residents and visitors to avoid the area of the fires until it is safe to do so.
