News

Dozens of firefighters and several aircraft Wednesday battled Spain's first major wildfire of the summer, which has ravaged 2,000 hectares (5,000 acres) in the northeast, local authorities said.

The fire broke out Tuesday afternoon near the town of Zuera in the Aragon region due to a road accident, the regional government said in a statement.

Seven water-dropping helicopters, three planes and dozens of firefighters were battling the flames. 

It was the first major wildfire this summer in Spain, which experiences devasting blazes almost every year as the temperatures climb in July and August. 

Spain is currently suffering a heatwave that has drifted up from north Africa and which has seen temperatures soar to over 40 C (101 F).

At total 82,027 hectares were destroyed by wildfires last year, down from 155,362 hectares in 2006 and 188,697 the previous year.

Sogecable, the pay-TV subsidiary of Spanish media giant Prisa, said Tuesday they had acquired the rights to broadcast in Spain all 2010 World Cup matches from the tournament in South Africa.