WILDFIRE FATALITIES: Spain reports high death toll among firefighting aircraft crew

NEW figures have revealed 865 people died in wildfires in Southern Europe between 1945 and 2016.

The statistics, released by Wildfire Today, analysed the number of civilian and firefighter deaths in Spain, Portugal, Greece, and Sardinia.

The report showed Sardinia had the highest proportion of wildfire-related deaths, based on its population of 10.1 million.  Leading causes of death were suffocation, burns, heart attacks, respiratory problems, physical trauma, and exhaustion.

Another leading cause of death was aviation accidents involving firefighting planes. In Spain, 72 out of the total 96 fatalities were among crews on firefighting aircraft.