Extreme fire risk warning issued for Spain after seven die

Local residents react in front of the fire during a wildfire in Santa Baia De Montes, northwestern Spain. Picture: Lalo R Villar/AP

Spain battled 14 major fires driven by high winds and aggravated by heat on Friday, as authorities warned of "unfavourable conditions" to tackle flames that have already killed seven people and burned an area the size of London, England.

Firefighters have been battling to put out blazes across southern Europe in one of the worst summers for wildfires in 20 years. A nearly two-week heatwave and southerly winds are worsening the situation in Spain, Virginia Barcones, the director general of emergency services, said on Friday.