MADRID: More than 1,000 people were evacuated on Sunday in north-west Spain as wildfires spread rapidly due to extreme heat and strong winds.
Around 400 residents were displaced from Carucedo and surrounding areas, while another 700 fled towns near the UNESCO-listed Las Medulas site.
Regional leader Alfonso Manueco stated investigators believe arsonists deliberately started several fires in Castile and Leon.
Spain’s Military Emergency Unit deployed 60 soldiers and 20 vehicles to assist firefighters battling the blazes with aircraft and bulldozers.
Fire crews reported struggling with shifting winds, low humidity and temperatures nearing 40°C as they worked to contain the flames.
The wildfires have also impacted Galicia and Navarre regions during Spain’s ongoing heatwave now in its second week.
Authorities warned of extreme fire risk across much of the country with the heatwave expected to persist until at least Thursday.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez praised emergency teams while monitoring the wildfire situation across affected regions. – AFP
