WATCH: Acts of arson declared after huge fires rages near roadside in Ourense’s Verin in Spain’s Galicia

WATCH: Acts of arson declared after huge fires rages near roadside in Ourense's Verin in Spain's Galicia

WATCH: Acts of arson declared after huge fires rages near roadside in Ourense's Verin in Spain's Galicia. Image: @JaviJM78/Twitter

THE Minister of Rural Affairs, José González, has called the fires raging in Verin (Ourense) in Spain’s Galicia an act of arson.

UPDATE 12.54 am (August 4) – Mr González said given that “up to 10 sources have been detected in different places”, the fire in Ourense’s Verin was started ‘intentionally’.

“What this proves,” he continued, “is that it was a car moving and starting the fires.”

González visited the affected municipality on Wednesday, August 3 and appealed for the collaboration of residents to “stop these heartless [people]”.

According to Spanish media reports, the forest fire in Verín (Ourense) had up to ten outbreaks recorded in the early evening on August 3, all located in different parts of the town, which forced a significant number of air and land resources to be deployed.

The fire forced a level two to be decreed due to its proximity to the O Polvorín neighbourhood.

The mayor of the Galician town of Verín, Gerardo Seoane, confirmed that the extent of the fire had forced the evacuation of several homes in the area.

Seoane said that more than 550 hectares had been burned with “a strategic intention.”

According to local media reports, together with the Verín fire, the Maceda and A Mezquita (Ourense) and the Arbo (Pontevedra) fires, a total of 720 hectares have been affected by the fires so far in Galicia.

The one in Maceda, in the parish of Castro de Escuadra, had three identified sources and had burned 150 hectares, while the one in Arbo has burned 400 hectares in the parish of Mourentán and another 70 in the parish of Barcela.

The last fire to be declared was that of A Mezquita, which burned 100 hectares and affects the parish of O Pereiro.

Further images and footage of the fire appeared on social media.

“Very SERIOUS situation in Galicia due to fires and high temperatures. Verín is burning in more than 12 hotspots and there are more fires in Calvos de Randín, Entrimo, Meis, A Mezquita, Castro de Escuadro, Arbo, Pontesampaio, Folgoso, Monterrei, Chandrexa, Vilariño de Conso and Rianxo,” one person wrote.

Another showed the “complicated situation” in Verin.

Another wrote: “We refuse to get used to images like this, day after day, summer after summer. This time it was the neighbours of Verín. The images that reach us from the Támega lands are unbearable. Lots of strength to the residents and the professionals in this tough night that awaits!”


ORIGINAL 7.53 pm (August 3) – Videos circulating on social show HUGE forest fires raging close to the roads in Spain’s Verin in Ourense (Galicia) on Wednesday, August 3.

DGT traffic alerts announced that major roads have been cut off due to the Ourense forest fire – the A52 in A Vilavilla, A Gudiña in direction Verín, the N-525 in Verin and the OU-104 in Verin.

Twitter user Javi Jimenez posted videos of the huge blaze.

Video footage online shows rescue helicopters at riverbanks ready to fill up with water to tackle the huge flames.

The Autonomous Community of Galicia has requested the intervention of Spain’s Military Emergency Unit in Verin (Ourense) due to the size of the fire.

A Forest Fire Reinforcement Brigade based in Tabuyo del Monte has been deployed to the scene to assist.

The fire has been likened to that of a volcanic eruption, similar to the one that happened in Iceland on Wednesday, August 3.

Craziness! It looks like a volcano! Verín fire IFVerínVerín where the two teams of Brif Laza work with their two helicopters. More than a dozen points, clearly intentional fire. One of the points is out of control,” a forest firefighter from the Brif de Laza wrote on Twitter.

The ATBIF Twitter account wrote: “We continue adding photos of this “monster” that is the IFVerinVerin, the energy that the IIFF is releasing is a real animal.”


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Written by

Matthew Roscoe

Originally from the UK, Matthew is based on the Costa Blanca and is a web reporter for The Euro Weekly News covering international and Spanish national news. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com.

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