Man killed in Spain as winds whip wildfires

ALERTS ISSUED AS HEATWAVE SCORCHES MOST OF EUROPE

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A man died after suffering burns and thousands fled their homes in Spain yesterday as wildfires fuelled by a heatwave scorched southern Europe.

Heat alerts were issued in Italy, France, Spain, Portugal and the Balkans, with temperatures expected to soar above 40°C. One child died of heatstroke in Italy on Monday.

A man who suffered serious burns died in hospital as winds of up to 70 kilometres per hour whipped flames through Tres Cantos, a wealthy suburb north of the Spanish capital of Madrid, officials said.

He was the first fatality from dozens of wildfires that have hit Spain since a heatwave began last week.