Madrid (AFP) — All of Spain was on heatwave alert on Friday, while the weather agency warned that much of the country was at “very high to extreme risk” from wildfires.

The situation had improved for several other southern European countries, but Greece was still fighting fires on one Aegean island.

Much of Spain has already endured nearly two weeks of high temperatures, and on Friday the searing heat spread to Cantabria, which had so far been spared.

Temperatures in the northwestern region were forecast to pass 40C, said Aemet, the national weather agency. The risk of fires on Friday and over the weekend into Monday was “very high or extreme in most of the country”, it added.

Spain has endured a devastating season of fires, with 157,501 hectares (389,193 acres) reduced to ashes since

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