Hundreds of firefighters on Sunday battled a blaze in northern Spain that forced hundreds to evacuate and devastated swathes of land, officials said.
The fire was raging in the Aragon region where about 300 firefighters are trying to contain the blaze with the help of helicopters.
At least 1,500 people were evacuated from the rural region that includes a natural park in the Zaragoza province, the regional government said.
Photo: Alicante Firefighters Consortium via Reuters
The Aragon emergency services estimated that “thousands” of hectares have been destroyed by the fire.
The “rapid spread” of the flames, stoked by winds, is “critical,” Aragon President Javier Lamban told media.
Spain has faced 388 wildfires since the start of the year, fueled by scorching temperatures and drought conditions.
The blazes have destroyed 261,930 hectares in Spain this year, more than in any other country in Europe, data from the European Forest Fire Information System showed.
Fires have blazed in other European countries, including France, Greece and Portugal, making this year a record for wildfire activity on the continent.
Scientists say human-induced climate change is making extreme weather events — including heat waves and droughts — more frequent and more intense.
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