Firefighters are battling a wildfire in central Spain (AFP). Spanish authorities have evacuated more than a thousand people in the northwest of the country due to spreading wildfires fueled by high temperatures and strong winds. Local officials reported that about 400 people were displaced from the town of Carucedo and its surroundings, and around 700 others from several towns near the Las Médulas site, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site and known for its scenic landscapes and as a Roman-era gold mining area. Alfonso Manueco, head of the local government in Castilla y León, stated that experts suspect many of these fires are deliberate.

He wrote on the X platform, “We will relentlessly confront those responsible for these attacks on people’s lives, safety, and our historical and natural heritage.” Firefighters said that high temperatures and strong, often shifting winds are hindering their efforts to extinguish the flames. The wildfires have also spread to the northern regions of Galicia and Navarre, as Spain experiences a heatwave entering its second week, with temperatures nearing 40 degrees Celsius in many areas. The severe heat is expected to continue until Thursday, and civil protection authorities have warned that the risk of fire outbreaks ranges from high to severe across most of the country. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez confirmed on the X platform that he is “closely monitoring the wildfires,” expressing his gratitude to emergency teams “for their tireless efforts.”