Firefighters had largely contained a blaze outside Madrid that broke out Monday night, authorities said on Tuesday. PICS/ AFP
The fire, which mainly burned scrub and grassland, killed a man who suffered burns on 98 per cent of his body, emergency services reportedly said
The fire affected more than 1,000 hectares and by Tuesday morning, the authorities were allowing some residents back into their homes
Elsewhere, firefighters were battling blazes in several Spanish regions, including Castile and Leon, Castile-La Mancha, Andalusia and Galicia. Numerous fires forced thousands of people to evacuate, including holiday-goers in Cadiz, after a fire sent huge plumes of smoke into the air visible on Monday from some beaches at the southern tip of Spain
More than 700 firefighters in Portugal were working to control a fire in Trancoso, about 350 kilometres northeast of Lisbon. Smaller fires were burning further north
Dry vegetation and strong winds can make forest fires spread rapidly and out of control, reports suggested on Tuesday
Scientists warn that climate change is exacerbating the frequency and intensity of heat and dryness in Southern Europe, making the region more vulnerable to wildfires and the health impacts of extreme heat
Europe is warming faster than any other continent, with temperatures increasing at twice the speed of the global average since the 1980s, according to the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service. Last year was the hottest year on record in Europe and globally, the monitoring agency said
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