Spain is battling a series of devastating wildfires that have killed two people and destroyed thousands of hectares of forest and scrubland.
There are currently 14 major active fires, Minister for Ecological Transition Sara Aagesen told radio station Cadena Ser on Wednesday.
She added that initial assessments suggested some of the fires may have been started deliberately, prompting investigations in all cases.
Authorities said around 6,000 people across several regions spent Wednesday night away from their homes, according to TV station RTVE.
The situation is particularly severe in the north-western provinces of Ourense, Zamora and León. Seven of Spain’s 17 autonomous communities are currently affected.
The two fatalities occurred in Madrid and León.
In Tres Cantos, north of the Spanish capital, a man in his 50s died from severe burns.
In León, a volunteer firefighter lost his life, while two people in Zamora remain in intensive care with serious injuries.
Aagesen said the unusually long heatwave, expected to continue until next Monday, is hampering firefighting efforts.
Wildfires are also affecting neighbouring Portugal, where more than 1,500 emergency personnel are battling six major fires on the mainland, Lusa news agency reported, citing civil defence sources.
Authorities are particularly concerned about a blaze in Trancoso, roughly 150 kilometres south-west of Porto near the Spanish border, where over 500 personnel are deployed.
