Thousands of people in Spain have been forced to evacuate as wildfires continue to rage across the Iberian Peninsula amid a heatwave that is expected to reach 44°C in some areas.
Firefighters have largely contained a blaze that broke out Monday evening outside Madrid, authorities said.
According to emergency services, a man with burns to 98% of his body died as a result of the fire, which mainly engulfed shrubbery and meadows.
The area covered by the fire exceeds 1,000 hectares (2,470 acres).
By Tuesday morning, authorities allowed some residents to return to their homes.
Firefighters continue to battle blazes in various regions of Spain, including Castilla y Leon, Castilla-La Mancha, Andalusia and Galicia.
Multiple fires have forced the evacuation of thousands of people, including tourists in Cadiz, after huge clouds of smoke were visible on some beaches in southern Spain on Monday.
Meanwhile, more than 700 firefighters in Portugal are working to put out a blaze in Trancoso, about 350km northeast of Lisbon, while smaller fires are also raging in the north.
Dry vegetation and strong winds can contribute to the rapid and uncontrolled spread of wildfires.
Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of heatwaves and droughts in southern Europe, making the region more susceptible to wildfires and the negative health effects of extreme heat, scientists warn.
Temperatures in Europe are rising faster than on any other continent, according to the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service, increasing twice as fast as the global average since the 1980s.
According to the monitoring agency, last year was the hottest year on record in Europe and the world.
Burning fuels such as gas, oil and coal releases greenhouse gases and is a major cause of climate change.
Deforestation and forest fires also play a major role.
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
