Spain sends in army as wildfires scorch land 'the size of London'

More than 1,000 troops have now been sent in to tackle several raging infernos, which have burned an area roughly the size of metropolitan London in the past week, killing seven people.

Emergency services believe up to 20 wildfires are currently burning, with some converging to form a large blaze, forcing roads and rail services to close.

The biggest flames are in Spain's northwestern region of Galicia, which has led to part of the famous Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route being closed on Monday.

Hikers were told "not to put their lives in danger" as authorities shut the path between the towns of Astorga and Ponferrada after the fire spread to the southern slopes of the Picos de Europa mountain range.

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Lockdowns and evacuations are currently in place across Galicia, with officials saying that homes "are still under threat."

One firefighter was killed on Sunday after his truck overturned and fell down a hillside near the village of Espinoso de Compludo in the León region.

Water-dumping planes from the Netherlands, France, and Italy are currently helping the Spanish authorities tackle the flames, with firefighters from across Europe also set to arrive in the coming days.

But Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez warned there were "some challenging days ahead" as temperatures soared to 45C in some parts of the country on Sunday, fanning the flames even further.

The Civil Protection Agency said two more people had been arrested on suspicion of starting fires on Sunday.

Several dozen people have been arrested for suspected arson since June, according to the interior ministry.

Spain has been hit hardest by southern Europe's worst wildfire season in years — which has also scorched Greece, Bulgaria, Montenegro, and Albania.

Climate scientists say this type of extreme weather, seen in these regions for years, can be supercharged by hotter global temperatures driven by the burning of fossil fuels.

In Portugal, thousands of firefighters are battling eight huge fires in central and northern regions, the largest of them near the mountainous area of Piódão.