MADRID:  A wildfire sparked by a lightning strike in the province of Zamora, northwest of Madrid, has become the worst in Spanish history, regional authorities confirmed.

Temperatures of over 40 degrees Celsius and gusts blowing up to 70 kilometres per hour have fanned the fire in the Sierra de la Culebra nature reserve. So far, 30,800 hectares of woods and shrub have been devastated, with a circumference of 120.88 kilometres.

According to the Xinhua, the previous worst fires were in the Huelva region of southwest Spain in 2004, which damaged 29,687 hectares, and another fire in Cortes de Pallas in eastern Spain in 2012, which affected 28,879 hectares.

The reserve is environmentally significant because it is home to the highest concentration of wolves on the Iberian Peninsula, as well as significant red and roe deer populations.  Cooler weather on Sunday made conditions easier for firefighters, who were able to put out the fire. Hundreds of firemen, aided by personnel of the Spanish Military Emergency Unit, are currently attempting to put out the fires and build fire breaks in the region.

In other news, 13 communities in northern Spain's Navarre area have been forced to evacuate due to "the worst flames in decades," as per local authority statement.

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