Soldiers continue to help firefighters across Spain, including in and around the Galicia and Extremadura regions, following several major wildfires - and more are feared

The fires have ravaged small, sparsely populated towns in the country's northwest, forcing locals in many cases to act as firefighters. About 2,382 square miles have burned across Spain and Portugal.

In neighbouring Portugal, where fires are also blazing, another firefighter was killed on Sunday in a "tragic" traffic accident, President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said. Fires have also broken out in Greece, France, Turkey and the Balkans as a heatwave has scorched swathes of southern Europe.

The Covilha wildfire, now the country's most resource-intensive fire, has spread to Fundao and Silvares. Authorities have warned residents of multiple villages to seek safety as flames threaten homes,

Portugal is battling five major wildfires as of August 19, with more than 2,700 firefighters, 902 ground resources, and at least 35 aircraft deployed.

Wildfires have ravaged more than 450,000 hectares of land across the Iberian peninsula since the start of the year, setting records in a region particularly hard hit by intensive heatwaves and drought affecting southern Europe.

Spain's worst wave of wildfires on record spread to the southern slopes of the Picos de Europa mountains and prompted authorities to close part of the popular Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route.

THIS is the horrifying moment a fire tornado violently erupts in Portugal killing a mayor in its blaze. It comes as hundreds of dangerous and deadly wildfires have plagued Europe in recent weeks