Wildfire Erupts in Spain's Catalonia, Halting High-Speed Rail Between Madrid and Barcelona

MADRID, June 18 (Reuters) - A wildfire near a high-speed rail line in Spain's northeastern Catalonia region forced the suspension of train services between the capital Madrid and the regional capital Barcelona on Tuesday, as the country braces for its first summer heatwave.

The Spanish meteorological office has warned that fire risk will significantly increase from June 21 due to the incoming heatwave, particularly in the northern inland areas.

The wildfire occurred near the railway line connecting the Catalan municipalities of Les Borges Blanques and L'Espluga de Francoli. Spanish rail infrastructure manager Adif and national rail operator Renfe stated that train services between the high-speed stations of Lleida and Tarragona were temporarily halted at the request of firefighters.

The Spanish meteorological office forecasts that temperatures will rise from June 20, with a more intense increase on June 21, especially in the northwestern region of Galicia and along the Cantabrian Coast in the north.

According to the forecast, temperatures in Spain's inland valleys could exceed 36 to 38 degrees Celsius (96.8 to 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit), reaching 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in eastern valleys. The Ebro River valley and some major river valleys might experience temperatures of 38 to 40 degrees Celsius, with a slight chance of reaching 42 degrees Celsius (107.6 degrees Fahrenheit) in localized areas on June 22, which is expected to be the peak of the heatwave in many regions. (Compiled by Zhang Zhengqian) 1150618

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