Spain PM vows forest fire aid

Spain’s Prime Minister has interrupted his holiday to visit Galicia in the northwest of the country as hundreds of forest fires continue to ravage the region. Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero toured the affected areas and promised more help would be provided to help put out the blazes which have killed three people and scorched at least 10,000 hectares since last week. The Socialist leader said 12,000 elite military engineers will support firefighters.

He also laid blame on criminal elements for starting the blazes and promised all necessary efforts would be made to bring them swiftly to prosecution. With 7,000 fire fighters on the job, backed up by 500 vehicles and 60 planes, Galician authorities say around 70 fires are still out of control. Meanwhile, there has been an improvement in the situation, across the border in Portugal. The country remains on its second highest alert but the biggest fires are now said to be under control.

Copyright © 2012 euronews