Spain, Portugal and Greece fight wildfires

FIREFIGHTERS in Spain, Portugal and Greece are continuing to battle wildfires on a public holiday in all three countries as persistent hot, dry conditions challenged efforts to contain the blazes.

- SUMAN NAISHADHAM

Spain is fighting 14 major fires, according to Virginia Barcones, general director of emergency services.

Temperatures were expected to climb over the weekend.

"Today will once again be a very tough day, with an extreme risk of new fires," Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez wrote on X.

The national weather agency AEMET warned of extreme fire risk in most of the country, including where the largest blazes were burning in the north and west.

A heatwave which brought temperatures exceeding 40C on several days this month was expected to last until Monday. Fires in the Galicia region forced the closure of several highways. The high speed rail line connecting it to Spain's capital Madrid remained suspended.