Massive wildfires have swept across Spain, leaving one person dead and forcing thousands to evacuate. As of reporting time, officials confirmed the fatality and ongoing evacuations. On Tuesday, extreme heat and strong winds fueled fires in several parts of the country.
According to government sources, flames engulfed the wealthy residential area of Tres Cantos, north of Madrid, leaving one man critically burned. He later died in hospital, marking the first heatwave-related death in Spain this summer.
Isabel Díaz Ayuso, President of the Madrid regional government, expressed her deep condolences in a message on social media platform X.
Hundreds of residents were evacuated from Tres Cantos. Madrid’s regional environment chief, Carlos Novillo, said the blaze spread six kilometers in just 40 minutes. Officials later reported that the fire there was brought under control by Tuesday morning.
In the southern region of Andalusia, around 2,000 people were evacuated from the popular beach area near Tarifa. Earlier this month, the same region had also faced wildfire outbreaks. Andalusian regional Interior Minister Antonio Sanz said authorities narrowly managed to save residential areas. He added that a police officer assisting in evacuation efforts was injured after being struck by a vehicle.
In northwestern Castilla y León, more than 30 separate wildfires were reported in a single day on Monday. One fire posed a direct threat to Las Médulas, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its ancient Roman gold mines.
The fires come as Spain endures what meteorologists describe as the most extreme day of the ongoing heatwave. Weather alerts have been issued nationwide, with temperatures expected to exceed 40°C in many areas and nighttime lows staying above 25°C.
Source: The Guardian.