Firefighters in Spain battle wildfires across the country

By JOSEPH WILSON
Associated Press

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Firefighters in Spain are struggling to contain wildfires in several parts of the country as it suffers an unusual heat wave for this time of the year. The worst damage has been in the northwest province of Zamora where authorities say over 25,000 hectares (61,000 acres) have been consumed. In central Navarra, authorities have evacuated some 15 small villages as a precaution as the high temperatures are not expected to drop for several days. Thermometers have risen above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in many Spanish cities throughout the week — temperatures usually expected in August. Experts link the abnormally hot period for Europe to climate change.