Spain has deployed more than 1,000 soldiers to tackle fast-moving wildfires across the country, as extreme heat fuels dangerous conditions in southern Europe.
One man has died after sustaining burns to 98 per cent of his body while attempting to rescue horses at an equestrian centre in Tres Cantos, north of Madrid. The blaze in the suburb destroyed around 1,000 hectares of land and partially damaged the King’s College British boarding school, which was empty at the time.
Spain’s national meteorological agency has issued red “extreme risk” alerts for five regions, with temperatures forecast to reach 44°C. The interior ministry has declared a national “pre-emergency”, placing national resources on standby to reinforce firefighting efforts.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez warned residents: “We are at extreme risk of forest fires. Please be very cautious.”
In Castile and Leon, the country’s largest region, 32 active wildfires have prompted the evacuation of over 4,000 residents. Five blazes are reported to pose an immediate threat to populated areas. Firefighters in the north are also contending with rare “fire whirls”, rotating columns of flame caused by intense heat and volatile winds.