Wildfire Near Madrid Contained Amidst Scorching Heatwave

Firefighters have successfully contained a wildfire near Madrid in the Tres Cantos area, injuring one person and leading to the evacuation of 180 others. The wildfire consumed over 1,000 hectares. Extreme heat continues to pose a wildfire risk in Spain's Mediterranean regions due to prolonged high temperatures and dry conditions.

Firefighters have brought a wildfire in the Tres Cantos area near Madrid under control, according to regional authorities. The blaze, which injured one person and led to the evacuation of 180 residents, had consumed over 1,000 hectares before being contained thanks to favorable overnight conditions, the Community of Madrid announced on Tuesday.

A man, who sustained severe burns covering 98% of his body, was airlifted to La Paz hospital, emergency services reported. The continuation of a prolonged heatwave in Spain, with temperatures expected to peak at 44 degrees Celsius, raises further concerns about wildfire risks in the Mediterranean.

Experts attribute the heightened wildfire threat to increasingly hotter and drier summers in the region. Such conditions exacerbate the potential for fires, which can rapidly escalate due to dry vegetation and strong winds, occasionally resulting in fire whirls, thus posing challenges for containment efforts.

(With inputs from agencies.)