Wildfires in Spain kill one, force mass evacuations amid heatwave
Officials confirmed the victim suffered critical injuries in Tres Cantos, a wealthy suburb north of Madrid, where winds reached 70 kilometres per hour.
He later succumbed to his injuries in hospital, marking the first fatality in a series of wildfires across the country.
Isabel Diaz Ayuso, head of Madrid's regional government, expressed deep regret over the death in a social media post.
Hundreds of residents in Tres Cantos were forced to evacuate as flames rapidly advanced.
Carlos Novillo, Madrid's environment chief, stated the fire spread six kilometres in just 40 minutes.
By Tuesday morning, authorities confirmed the blaze had been brought under control.
In southern Andalusia, around 2,000 people were evacuated from hotels and homes near Tarifa's beaches.
The fire erupted near an area previously affected by another wildfire earlier this month.
Antonio Sanz, Andalusia's interior minister, said emergency teams narrowly saved a residential area from destruction.
A Civil Guard officer was injured by a car while assisting with evacuations.
In Castile and Leon, over 30 fires were reported, including one threatening the UNESCO-listed Las Medulas.
Meteorologists warned the heatwave would peak on Tuesday, with temperatures nearing 40 degrees Celsius.
Night-time temperatures are expected to remain above 25 degrees, worsening fire risks. - AFP
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