The fires in Spain this year have burned 158,000 hectares or 610 square miles, according to the European Union’s European Forest Fire Information System. That is an area roughly as big as metropolitan London.

Portugal suffered its first death Friday from the fires raging there, as Spain's weather agency warned of a "very high to extreme risk" of more wildfires there during Europe's intense heatwave. Further east, Greece was still fighting blazes on one Aegean island, but the situation had improved for several other southern European countries.

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.Spain is fighting 14 major fires,