Madrid fire: One killed as wildfire blazes in Tres Cantos town amid extreme temperatures in Spain - people evacuated
A man has been killed in a wildfire that broke out in a town near Madrid.
Emergency crews battled the blaze in Tres Cantos overnight, which is located some 23km north of the Spanish capital. The man, who had been taken by helicopter to the La Paz hospital after suffering burns on 98 per cent of his body, later died, the Community of Madrid said.
The fire affected more than 1,000 hectares and forced 180 people to evacuate. Favourable overnight conditions allowed for the fire to be contained, officials said. Firefighters were also tackling “fire whirls” in the north of Spain, which burned several houses and forced hundreds of residents from their homes.
About 800 people were told to abandon their homes in half a dozen villages in the Castile and Leon region, where several wildfires were raging. High temperatures on Sunday had already caused a separate wildfire near Las Medulas park, forcing firefighters to retreat.
A prolonged heatwave in Spain continued on Monday with temperatures set to reach 42C in some regions on Tuesday. Extreme temperatures in southern Europe, including Spain and Portugal, are expected to last until at least Wednesday, with forecasts reaching up to 44C.
Wildfires in Croatia, Serbia, Albania and Montenegro have also forced people to flee their homes, according to local media reports.