Firefighters were struggling to control a rapidly spreading wildfire north of the Spanish capital Madrid on Sunday.
The country is still grappling with the deadliest wildfire in modern times, which killed 13 people and destroyed 7,000 hectares of land in the southern Almeria province earlier this month.
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The latest fire broke out Thursday in Guadalajara province in central Spain, which includes the Sierra Norte Natural Park.
The area is described as a forest-covered, mountainous area that is home to endangered species including eagles and wolves.
el pas As of Sunday, the fire had burned more than 13,000 hectares, the newspaper reported.
Public broadcaster RTVE reported that the flames had advanced 14 kilometers (9 mi) overnight.
More than 500 firefighters and emergency personnel have been deployed to control the fire.
Ground crews were also being assisted by 25 firefighting aircraft, officials said.
Firefighters saved ‘many lives’
The head of the Castilla-La Mancha regional government, Emiliano García-Page, paid tribute to emergency workers in a post on Twitter, saying they “managed to save many lives.”
Several hundred residents were ordered to evacuate the area.
No casualties have been reported yet.
Man arrested for suspected arson
Based on information received from neighbors, police said a person accused of setting the fire was arrested on Thursday.
Spain is on high alert for summer wildfires as much of the country is hit by severe drought and low humidity at the height of the tourist season.
Earlier this month, a major wildfire in Almería province in the southern Andalusia region killed 13 people, including several foreign nationals.
The country is in shock after it was revealed that many victims were found in burnt vehicles, having failed to escape the flames.
Zaragoza fire burns for 4 days
Another wildfire has been burning in the northeastern Zaragoza province since Wednesday, forcing the evacuation of more than a thousand residents.
The regional government warned Friday evening that the fire was “far from control.”
However, the head of the Aragon regional government, Jorge Azcón, said Saturday was “the first day when we can breathe a sigh of relief,” as the fire had been largely brought under control.
Since the beginning of the year, wildfires have destroyed more than 80,000 hectares of land across Spain.
According to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS), this is almost double the area burned during the same period last year.
Scientists say human-caused climate change is making heat waves longer, hotter and more frequent — drying out landscapes and fueling more destructive wildfires.
Edited by: Sam Dusan Inayatullah
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