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Heatwave ignites wildfires in Spain

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Dozens of wildfires raged in Spain on Sunday, cutting off roads and forcing thousands of people to be evacuated from their homes as blistering summer temperatures showed no signs of abating.
In the Jerte Valley in Extremadura, which has been the focal point of the most difficult fires this week, a new blaze broke out on Saturday.

Firefighters battled the wildfire through the night and helicopters were seen dropping water onto the flames on Sunday. The town had cancelled its summer fiestas on Saturday night and banned fireworks to avoid possible wildfires.

“I am doing very badly, very stressed and very badly. We are all very stressed, ” said Jerte resident Maria del Carmen Sanchez, 75, as she tried to escape from the roaring sound of helicopters flying overhead.

National weather agency AEMET issued high-temperature weather warnings for Sunday, with highs of 42 degrees Celsius forecast in Aragon, Navarra and La Rioja, in the north. It said the heatwave will end on Monday, but warned temperatures will remain “abnormally high”. Spain has been experiencing a nearly week-long heatwave, with highs of 45.7C.

In the town of Jerte, a local resident complained climate change was having an impact on the area.
“Climate change affects everyone. This area which is green and cool in summer is becoming (very hot) like the south (very hot), like Badajoz, Cordoba and Sevilla,” Miguel Angel Tamayo said.

In Malaga province, firefighting efforts against a blaze that began on Friday and led to the evacuation of over 3000 people were evolving positively and hundreds of residents were able to return to their homes, authorities said on Sunday.
The nearly week-long heatwave has caused 360 heat-related deaths, according to figures from the Carlos III Health Institute.

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