Wildfires continue to spread across Spain as flames and thick smoke engulf parts of the Sierra de Espadán mountain range. The devastating blazes have already caused at least one reported death, while emergency crews battle extreme conditions across affected regions. Authorities declared Spain’s first national emergency over a wildfire after multiple fires near Madrid merged, prompting a major response effort. European support has arrived with additional firefighting aircraft from several countries joining operations. The crisis highlights the growing challenges posed by extreme weather, heat, and wildfire risks across southern Europe during the summer season. INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Firefighters in central Spain battled a wildfire on Wednesday that has burned more than 32,000 hectares (79,000 acres) in one of the country’s largest blazes on record.

MADRID: Spain late Thursday declared a national emergency in the Madrid region and in the province of Avila, near the capital, in the wake of several wildfires burning out of…