'Unprecedented' Wave of Wildfires Seen in North Spain's Asturias Region

A wildfire rapidly spread across a mountainside above Oviedo, Spain, in the early morning of Friday, March 31, one of many in what’s been called an “unprecedented” situation in the Asturias region.

Footage taken by Twitter user Sofi Fdez-Pena shows a line of fire on Mount Naranco, overlooking the city.

Emergency services said several houses in the Valdes, Villayon, and Tineo communities near the city were evacuated. At least 52 people, including seven children, were evacuated to a local sports center.

Poor weather conditions were expected to continue on Friday, with strong gusts of wind set to complicate firefighting efforts, emergency services said.

Local news outlets reported several roads and highways were closed. Authorities advised residents to confine themselves to their homes and to avoid driving.

Ninety-one fires were burning in the region, authorities said. A local government representative described the situation as “unprecedented”. Credit: Sofi Fdez-Pena via Storyful